By Alison Doyle

If you’ve sent your resume and cover letter (or any other form of job application) to an employer and haven’t heard back, consider sending a follow-up email. You can also follow up with an email message if you don’t hear back after a job interview.

Unfortunately, employers don’t always keep applicants informed
about the status of their application. Therefore you may need to reach
out to determine your status. If done strategically, following up can be
a great way to reinforce why you are qualified for the job, and can
even get your application a closer look.

An email is a quick and efficient way to reach out to the employer. A
mailed letter might take too long: an employer might make a hiring
decision in that time. A phone call is another option, but you may not
be able to get contact information for the hiring manager. However you choose to reach out, make sure you are polished, professional, and polite.

How to Write a Follow-Up Email

• Send it after two weeks. If you haven’t
  heard back from the employer two weeks after sending your resume and
  cover letter, consider sending an email. Don’t send it any earlier. You
  want to give the employer enough time to read and respond to your
  application. 
• Send an email, if possible. Employers
  typically prefer receiving this kind of message by email; it allows
  them to keep a record of your contact, and they can respond quickly.
  However, if you need an even quicker response (say, for example, you
  know they are supposed to make a hiring decision very soon), you can try
  reaching out to the employer by phone.
• Use a clear subject line. In
  the subject line, include the title of the job you are applying for and
  your name. This will allow the employer to know exactly what the email
  is about right away.
• Be courteous. You want to be as polite and professional as possible in your email. Begin with a polite salutation
  and use the employer or hiring manager’s name if you have it. Begin the
  email by thanking the employer for taking the time to look at and
  consider your resume.
• Keep it brief. Don’t write an extremely long email. Keep it brief so that the employer can quickly skim it and understand your purpose.
• Focus on why you are a good fit. Briefly
  remind the employer why you are a good fit for the job. If you have any
  new information you want to share (such as a new achievement at work),
  you might mention that here.
• Ask any questions. If you have any questions related to the job or the application process, you can ask them at the end of the email.
• Mention a visit. If you live far away, you might want to mention a time when you will be visiting the area and are available to meet.
• Review and Edit. This email is another opportunity to make a good first impression on the employer. Make sure your email is professional and thoroughly edited.

Review Email Examples

It is a good idea to review email examples and/or templates before
writing your follow-up email. Along with helping with your layout,
examples can help you to see what kind of content you should include in
your document.

While examples, templates, and guidelines are a great starting point
to your letter, you should always tailor your email to fit the
particular job you are applying for.

Sample Follow-Up Email

Review an example of an email message to use when you have not heard back after sending a resume and cover letter to an employer.

SAMPLE

Follow-Up Email Example (Text Version)

Subject Line: Programmer Position – Jane Doe Application

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name, [if you have a name, otherwise omit this line]

I hope you are well. I submitted a resume earlier this month for the programmer position advertised in the Times Union.

I
am very interested in working at XYZ Company and I believe that my
skills, especially my extensive C++ experience at ABC Company, would be
an excellent match for this position.

If necessary, I would be
glad to resend my resume or to provide any further information you might
need regarding my candidacy. I can be reached at 555-555-5555 or
[email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,

Jane Doe

More Follow-Up Letters and Messages

What you’ll write in your follow-up letter will depend on the type of interview you had, the status of your application, and any information the employer may have given you about notifying applicants.

What to Do if You Don’t Hear Back

If you send your message and do not hear back after a week or so, you
can try contacting the employer again. Rather than sending multiple
email messages, if you can locate a contact person and phone number you
may want to try to follow up with a phone call. You can also follow up with a phone call if the hiring manager doesn’t get back to you after a job interview.

However, if you hear nothing back after this, it is best to start thinking about the next job opportunity. Don’t hold up your job search waiting to hear back from a hiring manager. Keep applying and moving forward while you’re waiting to hear back about interviews and job offers, so your job hunt doesn’t get stalled.

Culled from Balance Careers