What should I check before sending anything?
Open your application confirmation and reread the job post. Look for a closing date, a response timeline or an instruction not to contact the employer. If applications remain open, the team may not have started reviewing them. Use the stated process instead of imposing your own schedule on it.
Check your portal status and the address used for the application. Search your messages for the role title and employer in case a reply was filtered or overlooked. Confirm that you actually submitted the application rather than only saving a draft. A follow-up cannot repair an unfinished submission, so resolve that issue first.
What is a reasonable day 7 message?
If there is no different timeline, use your day 7 reminder to decide whether a message is appropriate. The timing is a planning suggestion. It is not evidence that the employer is late. Choose a working day and a contact route the employer provides. Reply to an existing recruiting thread when it accepts replies.
Keep the message direct: “Hello [name], I applied for [role] through [channel] on [date]. I remain interested because [brief relevant reason]. Is there an update on the hiring timeline? Thank you for your time.” Replace each bracket with a true detail. There is no need to attach the same CV again unless asked.
What should change at day 14?
Use the later reminder to check whether you received a reply, whether the role is still listed and whether there is anything useful to add. If the first message already asked for a timeline, do not repeat it with more urgency. A brief final check can be enough when contact is welcome.
You might write: “Hello [name], I am checking back on my application for [role]. I am still interested and would be glad to provide any missing information. If the process is on hold, I understand. Thank you.” Use this only when it fits the conversation. If the team gave a later date, wait for that date instead.
Who should receive the message?
Prefer the recruiter or hiring contact named for the role. A reply-enabled confirmation thread is useful because it keeps context together. A general careers address is appropriate only if the company offers it for application questions. Do not send the same request to several employees to increase the chance of a reply.
If you have a real connection at the company, you can ask whether they know the appropriate route. Do not ask them to chase private hiring information or pressure the team. Keep any public message free of personal application details. Your location, salary expectations and documents belong in the proper private recruiting channel.
What should I avoid saying?
Avoid claims about competing offers or deadlines unless they are real. If you do have a genuine deadline, state it clearly and politely without demanding an answer. Do not frame silence as disrespect. Recruiting can pause for reasons you cannot see, and a message does not reveal those reasons by itself.
Leave out long summaries of your entire CV. The person needs to identify the application and understand the request. Check the employer name, role title and spelling before sending. Remove tracking links and unnecessary attachments. Never include login codes, identity documents or other sensitive material in a routine request for an update.
When should I stop and move on?
Stop if the employer asks you not to contact them or says the role is closed. If your brief follow-ups go unanswered, record that and keep looking elsewhere. Silence is not an offer, and it is not a reliable explanation of your suitability. Do not let an uncertain application hold your search still.
Keep the sent date and wording in your tracker so you do not follow up twice by mistake. Bao can help you keep application notes and reminders, while you decide whether to contact anyone and send the message yourself. Use reminders as prompts to review the situation, not automatic instructions to send another email.