Candidate follow-up email
Recruiters
Send this after a real conversation, or after they asked you to send the role and then disappeared. You are closing the loop, not restarting the pitch.
Subject. Still want to talk?
Hi — I owe you a clear next step, and I do not want to keep writing if you have moved on.
If you are still open, I will send the next conversation. If you took another role, tell me and I will close this on our side.
Still open to talking?
- Yes
- Not now
- I took another role
In Gmail these are buttons. The recipient clicks one. The answer comes back to the thread. They do not install anything.
Before you send. Mention the role or the last conversation in the first line if you have several searches open with similar notes. They should know which thread this is.
Why this gets more replies
Candidates go quiet when they accept something else, because telling every recruiter is a chore. A button for “I took another role” is the update you actually need. It is also how you stop emailing someone who already decided, which is the fastest way to get marked as spam.
FAQ
How long do I wait before this?
Four or five business days after they owed you a reply. Sooner feels like pressure. Two weeks with no note feels like you forgot them, and then this email is a re-engagement, not a follow-up.
They took another role. Now what?
Congratulate them in one line and stop. Ask for a referral only if you already had a warm conversation. Do not pivot this email into a sourcing ask.
Free for 50 sends a month. The other person does not install anything.