20 October 2026
Reading time: 6 minutes
It's Tuesday evening. You pick up your phone, open your email and refresh. Nothing. You check your spam folder. Nothing there either. Ten days ago you sent off your application for that job you were really excited about, and it's been silent ever since. You wonder whether you should follow up, or whether that would come across as pushy.
Almost everyone who applies for jobs knows that feeling. Yet following up after a job application is perfectly normal, as long as you do it at the right time and in the right tone. In this blog you'll read when that moment is and what to say, with examples you can use right away.
If the vacancy states a closing date, wait until two working days after that. If there's no closing date, around a week is a good rule of thumb. After a job interview, only follow up after the agreed date, or otherwise after about a week.
There's also external guidance. According to the NVP Recruitment Code, of which a new version has applied since July 2025, an employer should let you know how the procedure will continue no later than two weeks after your application. Employers follow this code voluntarily, so not everyone sticks to it. But if you hear absolutely nothing after two weeks, you're certainly not too early with a friendly enquiry.
Following up too early serves little purpose. Two days after sending your application, your letter is often still sitting on the pile, and then the recruiter can only tell you that they haven't got round to it yet.
Take Ilse, 41. She's an example, but you probably know someone like her. She applied for the role of office manager at an installation company in her town. Exactly the kind of job she was looking for: close by, independent, and a team she could organise. The vacancy didn't state a closing date.
After five working days she still hadn't heard anything. Her first thought was: they don't think I'm good enough, otherwise they'd have called by now. Her second thought was: if I call now, I'll be that annoying applicant.
Both thoughts were unfounded. When she called on day seven anyway, it turned out the manager had been on holiday for a week. The applications were still sitting untouched in his inbox. The HR employee said: "It's good that you called. He's back on Monday and I'll put your letter on top." Whether Ilse would get an interview, she didn't know yet at that point. But at least her letter was no longer at the bottom of a pile of forty.
This happens more often than you'd think. Silence doesn't always mean "no". It often simply means "busy".
Calling often stands out more than emailing. A phone call sticks in the memory, you get an answer straight away, and the other person hears how you sound. An email is a good alternative if there's no phone number in the vacancy, or if you notice your nerves taking over the conversation.
If you choose to call, write down two or three sentences beforehand. Not to read out, but so you don't get stuck after "Good morning". This is how Ilse sounded:
"Good morning, this is Ilse de Vries speaking. I applied for the office manager position last week. I'm still very keen on it and I was wondering how the procedure is progressing."
Nothing more is needed. After that, let the other person talk. At the end, ask roughly when you can expect to hear something, and write that down.
If you choose email, keep it just as short. A subject line like "Application office manager, Ilse de Vries" makes it easy for them to find you. Below that, three sentences: when you applied, that you're still enthusiastic, and that you'd like to know how the procedure is progressing. No long repeat of your cover letter.
After an interview, first thank them for the conversation and then ask about the next step. Mention one thing from the interview that stuck with you. This shows that you were truly listening, and that you still want the job.
For example: "I wanted to thank you again for last week's conversation. What you told me about the new planning system only made me more enthusiastic. Is there any more news about the next step?"
If a date was agreed during the interview, only call the day after. Anyone who calls at nine o'clock on the agreed day mainly shows that they're impatient. That's human too, but the employer doesn't need to notice it.
Are you preparing for a next interview? Then also read preparing for a job interview.
Call or email a maximum of twice. If you still hear nothing after that, let it go, however frustrating that may be. A third or fourth attempt won't make a difference anymore, and your energy is better spent on your next application.
If you are rejected, feel free to ask for feedback. According to the recruitment code, you should also be told why when you're rejected. A short, friendly question like "Could you tell me what tipped the balance?" sometimes gives you exactly the tip that helps you in your next application. If you keep getting rejected without a clear reason, it might also be down to your documents. In why is my CV being rejected you'll find the most common causes.
And above all, don't keep waiting for that one answer. Those who simply keep applying during the silence suffer less from that refresh button. An alpaca that keeps staring at a single blade of grass in the field won't fill its belly either.
No, not if you do it once or twice and remain friendly. A brief question mainly shows that you really want the job.
Yes. If a contact person or phone number is listed with the vacancy, simply call that person or that number. If nothing is listed, send a short email to the company's general address.
Mid-morning or early afternoon, preferably not on Monday morning or Friday afternoon. That's when you're most likely to reach someone who has a moment to spare.
Waiting is easier if you don't pin all your hopes on one job. With the Application Package you get a polished CV and two cover letters, so your next applications go out just as strong as the first one. Then that silent inbox will make you just that bit less nervous.
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