Submitting a graduate job application often starts a period of waiting. You may know the employer has received your application but have no idea when you will hear anything else. A professional follow-up can help you check what is happening without putting unnecessary pressure on the recruiter. The key is knowing when contact is useful and when it is better to wait.
You do not need to chase every employer. Start with the information they have already given you, allow reasonable time for applications to be reviewed and keep any message short and easy to answer. This guide explains when to follow up, who to contact and what to say.
Following up is one part of a well-managed graduate job search. See our Finding a Graduate Job guide for the wider process.
Following up is one part of a well-managed graduate job search. See our Finding a Graduate Job guide for the wider process.
Should you follow up a graduate job application?
Following up can be useful when the employer has not provided an update within the timeframe it gave you, when you need to confirm that an application was received or when an important deadline has passed without any communication. It can also help when you applied through a recruiter and they are waiting for feedback from the employer. However, contacting an employer immediately after submitting an application is unlikely to achieve much. Recruitment teams may be dealing with a large number of applications and may not be ready to give you an individual update.
A good follow-up has a clear reason, so before contacting anyone, ask: “What information am I actually trying to get?”. If you only want reassurance because you are nervous about waiting, it may be better to give the employer more time.
Check the application information first
Before sending a follow-up, check what the employer has already told you. Look at the vacancy, confirmation email and candidate portal. You may already have been given a closing date, expected response time or information about the next stage. Some employers also update application status through an online account instead of contacting every candidate immediately.
Checking first prevents you from asking for information that is already available. It also matters because the closing date may be very different from the date you applied. If you submitted your form two weeks before applications close, the employer may not start reviewing candidates until after the deadline.
When should you follow up?
There is no single waiting period that works for every employer. Use any provided timeline first. If the employer says candidates will hear within two weeks, wait until that period has passed before chasing. If the advert has a closing date, it is usually sensible to give the employer some time after that date to review applications. If no timeframe is provided, allow enough time for someone to reasonably review the application before making contact.
The exact period will depend on the vacancy and recruitment process. A small employer hiring one person may work differently from a large organisation processing hundreds of graduate applications. Avoid following up simply because another employer replied more quickly. Recruitment processes move at different speeds.
Who should you contact?
Use the contact details provided with the vacancy or application. This might be:
- the named recruiter
- the hiring manager
- the graduate recruitment team
- the recruitment agency handling the vacancy
Where possible, continue an existing email conversation rather than starting a new message with someone else in the organisation. If the vacancy gives a recruitment contact, use that person rather than searching online for a senior employee who is not involved in the process. Avoid contacting several people about the same application at once. This is unlikely to speed up a decision and can create confusion.
Should you email or call?
Email is usually the easiest option because it gives the recruiter time to check your application before replying. It also creates a clear record of your contact. A phone call can be appropriate when the employer has provided a recruitment number, invited candidates to call or when you are already dealing directly with a recruiter who normally communicates by phone.
Do not assume that calling will make your application more noticeable or improve your chances. The purpose of the contact is to obtain useful information, not to force the recruiter to discuss your application before they are ready. If you do call and the person is busy, ask when a better time would be rather than trying to keep them on the phone.
What you can say when following up
Keep the message short. The recruiter should be able to understand who you are, which role you applied for and what you are asking within a few seconds.
A simple follow-up might say:
“Hello [Recruiter’s Name],
I applied for the [Job Title] position on [date] and wanted to check whether there has been any update on the application process.
I remain very interested in the opportunity and would be grateful if you could let me know the expected timeline for the next stage.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]”
You do not need to repeat your whole application. If there is genuinely useful new information, you can mention it briefly. For example, you may need to update your availability or provide a document the employer requested. Do not invent a reason to make contact simply so your name appears in the recruiter’s inbox.
Following up through a recruitment agency
If you applied through a recruitment agency, contact the consultant handling the vacancy rather than going directly to the employer unless you have been told otherwise. The recruiter may already be waiting for feedback and can explain what they know about the process. Keep the conversation practical. Ask whether there has been an update, whether the expected timeline has changed and whether the recruiter needs anything else from you. If there is no news yet, let the consultant continue dealing with the employer rather than contacting both sides separately.
How many times should you follow up?
One well-timed message is usually enough to start with. If the employer replies and gives you a new timeline, wait until that period has passed. If you receive no response at all, one further polite follow-up may be reasonable. After that, repeated messages are unlikely to help unless there is a clear reason for further contact. There is an important difference between being interested and chasing constantly. You want the employer to see that you communicate professionally and respect its process.
What if the employer does not reply
Do not assume immediately that your application has been rejected. Your contact may be on leave, the recruitment process may have been delayed or the employer may still be reviewing applications. Check your candidate portal and junk folder in case an update has been missed.
If you have already sent a reasonable follow-up and received no reply, keep your other applications moving. You should not allow one silent employer to hold up your wider search. Our article How To Find A Graduate Job covers how to manage an active graduate job search and track progress across several applications.
What if the employer misses its own timeline
Recruitment timelines can change. Interviews may take longer to organise, decision-makers may be unavailable or the employer may decide to review more candidates. If you were told you would hear by a particular date and that date has passed, a short follow-up is reasonable. Refer to the previous timeline without sounding accusatory.
For example:
“You mentioned that candidates were likely to hear by Friday, so I wanted to check whether there has been any update to the recruitment timetable.”
This gives the employer an easy question to answer.
Avoid wording such as:
“You said you would contact me by Friday and I still haven’t heard anything.”
Both messages raise the same point, but the first is more professional and constructive.
What if your application has been unsuccessful
If the employer confirms that you have not progressed, thank them for letting you know. You can ask whether any feedback is available, particularly if the recruitment team has reviewed your application individually. However, detailed feedback may not always be provided at the initial application stage. Do not turn the follow-up into an argument about the decision. If feedback is available, look for something specific that you can use. If it is not, record the outcome and move on.
Common follow-up mistakes
Following up too soon
Sending a message a day or two after applying usually gives the employer little useful information to provide. Check the closing date and expected timeline first.
Asking for information that has already been provided
Read your confirmation email, candidate portal and vacancy before contacting the recruiter.
Writing a long message
A follow-up is not another cover letter. State the role, explain why you are contacting them and ask your question.
Contacting several people
Choose the most relevant recruitment contact and communicate through them. Do not email the recruiter, hiring manager and several employees in the hope that someone will respond.
Trying to pressure the employer
Avoid demanding a decision or suggesting that you deserve an immediate response. Your aim is to clarify the process.
Following up repeatedly without new information
If the employer has told you it is still reviewing applications, another message a few days later is unlikely to change anything. Wait for the timeframe you have been given.
Stopping your other applications while you wait
An application is still uncertain until you receive an offer. Continue with other suitable opportunities rather than placing your whole search on one employer.
Key takeaways
Following up a graduate job application can be useful, but every message should have a clear purpose. Check the vacancy, confirmation email and candidate portal before contacting anyone. Use any timeline the employer has already provided.
When you do follow up, contact the person responsible for recruitment and keep the message short. Identify the role, explain why you are contacting them and ask a simple question about progress or the next stage.
If the employer gives you a new timeline, respect it. If you receive no response after reasonable follow-up, keep your other applications moving rather than chasing indefinitely. Most importantly, treat following up as professional communication rather than a way to pressure an employer into making a decision.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I realise I made a mistake in my application?
If the mistake is important, contact the recruiter or application contact promptly and explain it clearly. This might include an incorrect employment date, missing document or information that could affect how your application is assessed. Keep the message brief and provide the corrected detail without rewriting your whole application. Minor wording or formatting errors usually do not justify a separate follow-up. Before contacting the employer, check whether the candidate portal allows you to update the information yourself or whether the confirmation email explains how corrections should be handled.
Can I follow up if my application status has not changed online?
Yes, but first consider how long the application has been sitting at the same stage and whether the employer has provided a timeline. Candidate portals are not always updated immediately, so an unchanged status does not necessarily mean your application has been overlooked. If the expected response period has passed, a short email asking whether there has been any update is reasonable. Mention the role and application date so the recruiter can identify your application easily. Avoid contacting them repeatedly simply because the portal has not changed.
Should I follow up after completing an online test or assessment?
Use any timeline given after the assessment before contacting the employer. Some recruitment teams need time to review results alongside other applications, particularly when many candidates complete the same stage. If the stated response date passes without an update, a polite follow-up can ask whether the timetable has changed. You do not need to ask how you performed unless the employer has indicated that individual feedback is available. Keep other applications moving while you wait, as completing an assessment does not guarantee progression to the next stage.
What if I need an answer because another employer has made me an offer?
Contact the recruiter and explain the situation professionally. State that you remain interested in their role, mention the deadline you have been given for the other offer and ask whether they can provide any guidance on their recruitment timetable. Avoid demanding an immediate decision or suggesting that they must accelerate the process for you. The employer may be able to clarify its timescale, but it may not be ready to make a decision. You can then use that information when deciding how to respond to the other offer.
Should I reply to the original application confirmation email?
Replying to an existing email thread can be useful when the message came from a genuine recruitment contact and replies are accepted. It keeps the application details and previous communication together, making it easier for the recruiter to understand your query. However, some confirmation emails are sent from automated or no-reply addresses. In that case, use the contact information provided in the vacancy, candidate portal or recruitment correspondence. Avoid starting separate conversations with several employees when one appropriate contact is already available.
What should I do if the recruiter gives me another delayed timeline?
Acknowledge the update and wait until the new timeframe has passed before following up again. Recruitment delays can happen because interviews, approvals or hiring decisions take longer than expected. Repeated messages during the revised waiting period are unlikely to produce new information. Record the new date in your application tracker and continue applying elsewhere in the meantime. If the employer misses the revised timeline as well, another brief and polite message may be reasonable. Keep the focus on asking for an update rather than expressing frustration about the delay.
