No Response After Interview? How To Follow Up By Email

Consider the following scenario: You've landed an interview for your ideal job. You dress appropriately, present the necessary documentation, and practice what you're going to say during the interview. The interview itself appeared to be a success; the recruiting manager appeared to be really impressed and responsive. A day passes. After then, another day passes. After that, another..

At this point, you’re starting to think you’ve been ghosted.

This is a genuine circumstance that may occur with interviewers. Occasionally, a recruiting manager will determine that you are not a good fit and will not contact you. Occasionally, they will conduct so many interviews that they will forget how nicely yours went. Sending a follow-up email is the best method to address a lack of touch following an interview. This is because a follow-up email can be seen as a reminder for hiring managers to check back in with you. Additionally, it might be interpreted as a demonstration of motivation and commitment to the future role, which hiring managers would enjoy.

You can definitely change the impression an interviewer has of you through a follow-up email. Let’s look at how you can write the best follow-up email after hearing no response from the interviewer.

What Does an Effective Follow-Up Email (After No Response) Look Like?

An effective follow-up email to send when you haven’t heard back from an interviewer will include a fantastic subject line and a crystal clear body. It will be brief but also have substance as well.

Your subject line is one of the most important aspects of your follow-up email. It is essentially a chance at a new first impression your hiring manager will have of you. It also will make it very clear what your intentions are with the email itself.

Related: Thank You Email After Interview: Complete Guide, 10+ Samples

16 Example Follow-Up Email (After No Response) Subject Lines

You can use these example email subject lines for your own follow-up email or use them as templates or inspirations for a more original subject line:

• “Thank you for your time”
• “Thank you for your time on Monday/Tuesday/etc.”
• “It was great talking with you!”
• “It was great talking with you on Monday/Tuesday/etc.”
• “Following up on my interview”
• “Regarding my interview”
• “Are there any updates on my interview?”
• “Do you need anything else from me?”
• “Checking for updates: Sales/management/etc. position”
• “Any update on the sales/management/etc. position?”
• “Note regarding the sales/management/etc. job opening”
• “Really enjoyed our conversation on Monday/Tuesday/etc.”
• “Great speaking with you the other day!”
• “Any update regarding the sales/management/etc. position?”
• “Following up regarding the sales/management/etc. position”
• “Just checking in on the sales/management/etc. position”

Essentially, you want your subject line to state plainly what your email is about. Avoid using slang or emojis in the subject title; you want the subject line of your email to represent your professionalism. Please do not leave the subject line blank, since you want to get the attention of your hiring manager when they open their email.

Consider using a follow-up subject email template, like the following:

• Following up on [Job title] at [Company name]

Drafting Your Follow-Up Email (After No Response)

There are many things you should include in your email body to be effective. These include:

• Your contact information.
• A warm and professional greeting using the hiring manager’s name. Be sure to use their first name to keep things casual while also being professional.
• A few sentences detailing your appreciation for the interview.
• Briefly acknowledge something in the interview, such as a notable conversation or joke the hiring manager made. This will help you jog their memory and recall the actual interview and who you are.
• A few sentences asking about what the next steps should be and whether the hiring manager has decided.
• Make sure your intentions are obvious in the body of your email and do not beat around the bush: You want to know if they have made a decision yet.
• Stay on point and don’t include unnecessary information.
• An offer for additional references or more information.
• A closing sentence that thanks to the hiring manager once again.
• A sign-out with your name included.

Related: Follow Up By Email (After Interview) On Status Of The Job

These are the basic things that should compose a follow-up email. When it comes to following up when you haven’t heard from the hiring manager for a while, you’ll need to include a handful of additional elements, including:

• Acknowledgment that you have not heard from them in a while. Make sure that this acknowledgment is polite and not accusatory or negative.
• A sentence or two politely asking for an answer, whether you’ve been hired on not.
• Acknowledgment that if the decision has not been made yet, you’re more than happy to wait longer for an answer.
• An offer to do anything or provide anything that may be needed to help with the decision-making process.

Always remember to proofread your email several times before submitting it. Any grammatical or spelling errors can make you seem lazy or unprofessional.

Timing is Everything for Follow-Up Emails After an Interview

The timeline for hiring a new employee can vary significantly from position to position. Your hiring manager may also have a ton of other interviews or work on their plate, which could further delay their decision.

When it comes down to it, if you don’t receive anything back from your thank you email (more on that in a bit) or you're follow-up email within a month, the chances are pretty slim that you’ve been selected for the position.

As a general rule of thumb, you should send a thank you email within a day or two of your interview if you have not immediately heard back from your hiring manager. If you did get hired very quickly, it is still good to send a thank you email detailing your gratitude for the interview and your excitement to start the position. This will make you seem like you actually care about the position and will put the hiring manager at ease regarding your friendliness and professional behavior.

When it comes to a follow-up email, you will want to send it out approximately one week after the interview was conducted. It takes a lot of time for businesses to interview prospective employees and make important decisions. This is why a thank you email should be sent first, and when you have not heard anything or received a response within a week, you should send that follow-up email.

We get that you’re probably very anxious about the interview and nailing that job. Still, it is essential to be patient.

Checklist: Things to Consider After the Interview Itself

There are a number of questions to think about if you want to figure out exactly why your hiring manager has not reached out to you with a job offer:

• Did you send a thank you email after the interview?
• Did you dress appropriately for the interview?
• Did the hiring manager ask a lot of repetitive questions about your resume?
• Was your interview surprisingly short?
• Did you forget to bring key items along?
• Did your hiring manager seem bored?
• Did your hiring manager make it seem like you probably won’t get the job?

These could all point to a less than an ideal interview. Regardless, you should send a follow-up email even if you’re fairly confident that your interview went south.

Related: 18 Signs Of A Bad Interview (And How To Spot Them)

What to Do If You Didn’t Send a Thank You Email

If you didn't send a thank you email, don’t worry! Simply follow these steps to send a thank you email retroactively:

• Open with a kind greeting.
• Thank the interviewer for their time at the interview.
• Make a note of something that happened, such as a joke or a notable moment.
• Make it clear that you’re still excited about the opportunity.
• Offer references or your availability for additional questions.
• Close with gratitude.
• Include your contact information.

You can also consider this example thank you email as a resource or template:

“Hi [Hiring Manager],

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your time yesterday. I enjoyed our conversation about [notable moment] and the position I interviewed for sounds like an exciting opportunity. I’m looking forward to hearing from you once the decision is made, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns whatsoever!

Thanks again for taking the time,
Your Name
[Contact information]”

If the interviewer replies to your thank you email or follow-up email and says they don't have an update for you, you can also use these two example emails as a template for your own email to reply to the interviewer:

“Hi [Hiring Manager],

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, and thank you for the update! I’ll be available until you make the final decision. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help or need more information.

Take care and thanks again,
Your Name”

“Hey [Hiring Manager],

Thanks for the update! Do you have a ballpark idea of what the timing will look like moving forward? Or when would be an appropriate time for me to check back in with you? I’m still very excited about the opportunity, but I understand these things take time, so I don’t want to follow up too often.

No rush!

Thanks,
Your Name”

6 Follow-Up Email Templates And Examples When You Haven't Heard Back From The Interviewer Yet

These follow-up email templates can be used when the interviewer hasn't responded to you yet. You can also use these email examples as inspiration for your own email.

Example one

“Hello [Hiring Manager],

I wanted to follow up regarding the [position interviewed for] position discussed on [the day the interview took place]. I’m so excited about what I learned and wanted to check if there have been any updates on your end in the hiring process. I get that these things take a while, so no hurry! Thanks for keeping me in the loop and for this excellent opportunity!

If you need anything from me, such as additional resources, please reply to me here.

Take care,
Your Name
[Contact information]”

Example two

“Hi [Hiring Manager],

I wanted to take a minute to thank you for your time on [the day the interview took place]. I enjoyed our conversation about [a memorable moment], and the [position interviewed for] position sounds like an excellent opportunity for me at this point in my career. I would love to become a member of the team! I’m looking forward to hearing about any updates you can share, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I can also provide more references if needed!

Thanks again for your time,

Your Name
[Contact information]”

Example three

“Hey [Hiring Manager],

I wanted to check in and see whether a decision has been made regarding the [position you interview for] position. I’m always open to hearing feedback based on everything I learned in the interview. Please let me know the latest info when you have a chance.

Thanks!
Your Name
[Contact information]”

Example four

“Hi [Hiring Manager],

I’m following up on my application for the [position interviewed for] position. I’m looking forward to learning more about the opportunity because I think it’d be a great fit based on my experience with [relevant skill]. Any update on your end when you get a chance would be really appreciated! I understand these things take time, so no rush.

Have a wonderful day,
Your Name
[Contact information]”

Example five

“Hi [Hiring Manager],

I just wanted to make sure you saw my last email! I wanted to follow up again to see if you had any updates regarding the [position interviewed for] position. Please let me know when you get a chance.

I hope your weekend is great!
Your Name
[Contact information]”

Example six

“Hello there [Hiring Manager],

My name is [Your Name]; we met about a week ago for an interview for the [position you interviewed for] position. I just wanted to thank you again for sharing your experience at [company in question] with me and providing me with tons of info about the [position you interview for] position.

Learning more about the campy's fast-paced and unique culture made me excited to explore further opportunities with the team at [company in question]. I really appreciated your time and advice, and I had a genuinely great time at the interview.

I've also attached my resume for reference and my cover letter, references, and a few of the projects that I mentioned in the interview. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need on my end; I would be happy to provide. I look forward to talking with you again soon!

Have a great day,
Your Name
[Contact information]”

Are you ready to submit that follow-up email and get the response from the interviewer you were looking for? We get that silence after an interview can be nerve-wracking for interviewees. However, a follow-up email can sometimes make or break whether or not you get a callback. Good luck, and don’t forget to proofread!

Related: Thank you email after an interview

Common FAQ's

Common questions asked by job seekers.

What if I don't hear from the employer or person I interviewed within a phone interview? Should I send an interview follow up email?

Yes. Use this template to follow up with a phone interview much like you would an on-site interview. The template provided here is for any post-interview session where you didn't hear a response from the person you spoke with.

If I didn't hear back, should I continue with my job search?

Yes. Always continue your search until you've received an offer from your potential employer. Just because you went on a single job interview doesn't mean you will get a job. Always think about the most important person, yourself.

What if the person I spoke with emails back and said "stay in touch"?

This can be a cordial way of alluding to the fact that they aren't interested in moving forward with your job application. It is unfortunate.

Why is not part of the interview process for a recruiter to follow up with you and tell you that you didn't receive the job?

It is part of the interview process, though sometimes there is no available time to do this. And communication can slip through the cracks. Once again, this is an unfortunate part of the hiring process.

Should I keep interviewing if I didn't hear back?

Yes. Always keep interviewing. Remember, the only time you won't get a job is when you stop putting forth the effort. Don't wait for the recruiter or team to make a hiring decision. Keep moving forward.