How to follow up with a hiring manager
They opened your message. Maybe they even reacted to it. Then nothing.
Most people either give up after one message, or send "just checking in" a week later, which is the weakest possible follow-up. It asks nothing and gives them nothing new to respond to.
Here's the cadence that works instead: day 3, then one final message about a week later. Two touches after the first one, not endless pinging.
Each follow-up should do one of two things: make it easier to say yes or no, or give them a new reason to reply. Never just restate that you're waiting.
The cadence
Day 3, wrong person check
"Hi [Name], maybe I reached out to the wrong person? Would love if you could point me in the right direction if I am!"
This costs them almost nothing to answer, either a quick "nope, that's me" or a name to redirect to, and it doesn't put any pressure on them either way.
Final message, last check
"Hi, it seems like I reached out at the wrong time. No hard feelings, but I was just wondering if you could point me in the right direction in regards to this role. Have you found someone already?"
This closes the loop either way. A quick "already filled" or "still open" resolves it, and it doesn't put any pressure on them either.
When to stop
Two tries, then move on. Not because it's rude to send a third message, but because your time is better spent finding the next hiring manager than waiting on one who's gone quiet for two weeks straight.
If they reply "not right now" at any point, that's a real answer. Thank them and move on, don't argue with it.
What never to send
"Just checking in" on its own. It asks nothing, gives them nothing to respond to, and reads as pressure rather than a question. Every message in this cadence gives them something specific to reply to.
Where this fits
Following up matters as much as the first message, sometimes more. Access 2 Jobs is the tool I built to handle the finding and the messaging automatically, so this whole process takes minutes instead of a week.
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How many times should I follow up with a hiring manager?
Two follow-ups after your first message: day 3, then one final message about a week later. After that, move on to the next person rather than continuing to chase.
Is "just checking in" a bad follow-up message?
Yes. It doesn't ask anything specific and gives the person nothing new to respond to. Every follow-up should either make it easier to say yes or no, or add new information.
What if they never reply at all?
That happens, and it's not always personal, people get busy or the role gets deprioritized. Send your two follow-ups on the cadence, then move your attention to the next hiring manager.
Should my follow-up message be different each time?
The two messages in this cadence are close in tone on purpose, both are low-pressure, easy to answer in one line. What changes is the framing: wrong person on day 3, wrong timing on the final message. Neither repeats the other word for word.