Follow-up date calculator: when to follow up on a job application
Enter the day you applied and how you applied. You get the date of your first and second follow-up in working days, a calendar reminder for each, and the email to send.
- Delays from our follow-up guide: 10 working days after a job board application, 7 after a speculative one
- Weekends skipped, and French public holidays if you pick France
- Runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent anywhere
How the dates are calculated
The calculator applies the delays from our guide to follow-up emails, counted in working days: Saturdays and Sundays never count, and neither do public holidays when you pick a country.
| How you applied | First follow-up | Second, and last |
|---|---|---|
| Job board or careers site | 10 working days after applying, or after the closing date if it is later | 7 working days after the first |
| Speculative application | 7 working days after sending it | 7 working days after the first, shorter; then check back in three months |
| After an interview | The working day after the date they gave you; with no date, one week after the interview | 5 working days after the first, then close the loop |
Why working days
Recruiters read their email on working days. Ten working days is two weeks, the outer edge of what most hiring managers answer when asked how long to wait. Counting working days also keeps a reminder off a Saturday.
Which holidays
Public holidays differ by country and, in the US, by state, so the default counts weekends only. Pick France to also skip its eleven national holidays: 1 January, Easter Monday, 1 May, 8 May, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, 14 July, 15 August, 1 November, 11 November and 25 December.
Two follow-ups at most
The first reminds them of your application and gives one reason to open it. The second is shorter and asks a closed question, such as whether the role is still open. After that, stop writing and keep applying.
Frequently asked questions
When should I follow up on a job application?
For an application through a job board or careers site, 10 working days after applying, which is two weeks. If the posting has a closing date that is later, count from the closing date. For a speculative application, 7 working days. If the recruiter gave you a date, follow up the working day after it.
How long after an interview should I follow up?
The working day after the date they said you would hear by. If they gave no date, one week after the interview. Send your thank-you note within 24 hours of the interview first: it is a different email.
When should I follow up on a speculative application?
Seven working days after sending it, then once more, shorter, seven working days later. A phone call works well for the second one. If nobody answers, note to check back in three months, when the company's needs may have changed.
When should I send the second follow-up?
Seven working days after the first for a job board or speculative application, five after an interview follow-up. Make it shorter than the first, ask a closed question, and make it the last one.
Why does the calculator count working days?
Because nobody reads your email on a Sunday. Working days put the reminder on a day the recruiter is at work, and the delays in our guides are written in working days.
Does the calculator skip public holidays?
Weekends always. Public holidays depend on the country, so by default they count as working days. Pick France to skip its eleven national holidays, including the ones that move with Easter: Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Whit Monday.
Does the .ics file work with Google Calendar, Outlook and Apple Calendar?
Yes. It is a standard all-day calendar event with a reminder at 9 am. Outlook and Apple Calendar add it when you open the file. In Google Calendar, use Settings, then Import & export.
Is the calculator free?
Yes, with no account. Everything is calculated in your browser, and none of the dates or names you type are sent to HiredFolio.
Let HiredFolio remind you
In the HiredFolio job application tracker, every job has a follow-up date. The morning it comes due, you get one email listing that day's follow-ups, and the dashboard shows the ones due this week and overdue. Follow-up reminders are included in the free plan.
See the job application tracker