Follow-Up Email After an Interview (With Templates)

A follow-up email after an interview is the cleanest way to break the silence. Sent at the right time and kept short, it does not look pushy; it shows you are paying attention and still interested in the role. This guide covers when to send it, what makes it work, and templates you can copy and adapt.

When to send it

• If you were given a date: one or two working days after it passes.

• If no date was given: about a week after the interview.

• A thank-you email is something else: it goes out the same day or the next and asks nothing. A follow-up asks a question. Examples are in our thank-you email after an interview guide.

The three parts of a follow-up that works

1. Which interview: the role and the date, in one sentence.

2. Your interest: one sentence saying you are still interested. Mentioning something concrete from the conversation helps.

3. A clear question: "Where does the process stand, and when can I expect to hear back?" An email without a question has nothing to reply to.

Keep it to three or four sentences. In the subject line, the role and "following up" are enough.

Template 1: the date has passed

Subject: Following up on the [Role] interview

Hi [Name],

Thank you again for the conversation about the [role] position on [date]. You mentioned I would hear back by [date], so I wanted to check whether there is any update on the process. I am still very interested in the role.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Template 2: no date was given

Subject: [Role] – following up

Hi [Name],

We spoke last week about the [role] position. Our conversation about [topic from the interview] made me even more interested in the role. Could you share where the process stands and when I might hear back?

Thank you,
[Your name]

Template 3: the second and final follow-up

Subject: Re: Following up on the [Role] interview

Hi [Name],

I wanted to follow up on my previous message. If a decision has been made on the role, positive or not, knowing would really help me plan.

Thank you,
[Your name]

What to avoid

• Opening with "just checking in" and not asking anything.

• Writing every day or every other day. Two emails are enough; after that you learn nothing new.

• Pressuring with an offer you do not have. If you genuinely have another offer, say so plainly, with the date by which you need to answer.

• An accusing tone. Silence is frustrating, but your email should be one they want to answer.

After two emails

If the second email also goes unanswered, close the application and put your energy into the others. What the silence can mean is covered in no response after an interview. If you have not reached the interview stage yet, how long to wait after applying is the better read.

If you are running several processes at once, keep who you wrote to, and when, in one list. e-kariyerim reminds you of applications that have been quiet for a long time, so you do not have to remember when to follow up.