How to Follow Up on a Job Application in the UK (With Email Templates)

You sent the application, maybe even had the interview, and now there is silence. Do you chase, or wait? Chase too early and you worry about seeming pushy. Wait too long and the role may be filled while your application sits unread.

A well-timed follow-up is normal in the UK and often welcomed, especially by recruiters juggling many vacancies. This guide gives you the timing for each situation, who to contact, and six short email templates you can copy and adapt, from the first chase after applying to asking for feedback after a rejection.

Quick answer

Wait until any timeline in the advert has passed, or roughly one to two weeks after the closing date (or after you applied, if there was no closing date). Then send one short, polite email to a named contact, quoting the job title and reference. After an interview, send a thank-you email the same day or the next working day, and chase a decision two or three working days after the date you were given. Follow up no more than twice for any one stage.

---

When to follow up: a timing guide

There is no official rule, so treat these timings as common practice. If an employer gives you a timescale, theirs always comes first.

Not sure which follow-ups are due? Keep applications and follow-up deadlines in one place, free.

---

Who should you contact?

1. A named contact in the advert, often an in-house recruiter or talent acquisition partner.
2. Whoever last contacted you, such as the recruiter who arranged your interview.
3. Your agency consultant, if you applied through a recruitment agency. Never go around them to the employer.
4. A careers or recruitment inbox, if no person is named. Quote the reference so it reaches the right team.

---

How to write a follow-up email

Good follow-ups are short, specific and easy to answer. Aim for under 120 words with five parts:

• A clear subject line with the job title and reference number.
• A one-line reminder of the role and when you applied or interviewed.
• One line of value: why you are still keen, or something relevant you can add.
• A simple question they can answer quickly.
• Thanks, and your name and phone number.

---

Six follow-up email templates

Replace everything in square brackets. Keep the tone polite and confident, and send from the email address on your CV.

1. Following up after applying

Subject: Application for [Job title], ref [reference]

Dear [Name],

I applied for the [Job title] role on [date] and wanted to check whether there is any update on the timescale for shortlisting. I am particularly interested in this role because of [one specific reason linked to the job or company], and I would welcome the chance to discuss how my experience in [relevant area] could help the team.

Thank you for your time.

Kind regards, [Your name] [Phone number]

2. Thank-you email after an interview

Subject: Thank you, [Job title] interview

Dear [Name],

Thank you for meeting me [today/yesterday] to discuss the [Job title] role. I enjoyed hearing about [specific topic from the interview], and it confirmed my interest in the position. My experience of [relevant example you discussed] would help me contribute quickly to [team goal they mentioned].

Please let me know if you need anything further from me.

Kind regards, [Your name]

3. Checking on a decision after an interview

Subject: [Job title] interview on [date], next steps

Dear [Name],

I hope you are well. I interviewed for the [Job title] role on [date] and understood a decision was expected around [date]. I wanted to check whether there is any update. I remain very interested in the role.

Many thanks, [Your name]

4. A second and final follow-up

Subject: Re: [Job title], ref [reference]

Dear [Name],

I am following up on my message from [date] about the [Job title] role. If the position has been filled or the timeline has changed, I would be grateful to know so I can plan accordingly. Either way, thank you for considering my application.

Kind regards, [Your name]

5. Asking for feedback after a rejection

Subject: Feedback on my application for [Job title]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for letting me know about your decision on the [Job title] role. I appreciated the opportunity to [apply/interview]. If you have a moment, I would value any brief feedback on how I could strengthen my application or interview for similar roles in future.

Kind regards, [Your name]

6. Telling an employer you have another offer

Subject: [Job title] application, timing update

Dear [Name],

I wanted to let you know that I have received another job offer and have been asked to respond by [date]. The [Job title] role remains my preferred option, so I wondered whether there is any update on your timeline before then.

Kind regards, [Your name]

Only send template 6 if the offer is real and you would genuinely prefer this role.

Draft follow-ups that match the role in seconds

Cafy's cover letter and email generator writes personalised cover letters and follow-up emails matched to the job, which you then edit in your own words. Your application tracker shows follow-up deadlines, so nothing slips.

Write your follow-up free or compare plans

---

Following up by phone

A call can be more effective than an email with recruitment agencies and small businesses. Keep it to under a minute:

"Hello, my name is [name]. I applied for the [Job title] role on [date], reference [reference]. I am calling to check whether there is any update on the timescale, and whether there is anything else you need from me."

If you reach voicemail, leave the same message slowly with your number, then send a short email so they have it in writing.

---

When not to follow up

• The advert says not to. Some employers state that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Respect it.
• The process has its own portal. Large graduate schemes and public sector employers often show your status online. Check there first.
• Their deadline has not passed. If they said "by Friday", wait until the following week.
• You have already followed up twice. After a second message with no reply, mark the application as closed and put your energy elsewhere.

If silence is happening across most of your applications rather than one or two, the cause is usually earlier in the process. Our guide on why UK applications get no reply covers the usual reasons.

---

Keep a record of every follow-up

Note the date of each follow-up and the date of the next one in your tracker. It stops you chasing the same employer twice in a week. Our guide to tracking job applications includes a simple spreadsheet setup with overdue follow-ups highlighted automatically.

---

Polite persistence pays off

Following up is not pestering when it is timed sensibly, short and easy to answer. Choose the right moment, address a real person, use one of the templates above in your own words, and record what you sent. Then let it go and keep applying.

Start free or see the tracker

No card needed. Review every AI draft before you send it.