What To Do When You Don’t Hear Back After Applying

By Carmen Neagu, 30 September 2025

It’s one of the hardest parts of job hunting: silence.

You apply for a role you’re excited about… and then nothing. No feedback. No acknowledgement. Just a vacancy that stays online while you’re left second-guessing.

Some of the job boards (like Indeed for example) might show you the status of all your previous applications, if the vacancy is still live, if your application has been reviewed and if you haven’t been selected by the employer for the next stage. CV Library and Reed will only show you if the vacancy is still live or if it has expired or ended. And if a company uses an applicant tracking system, you might get an automatic rejection email.

But often… you get no communication at all. Which leaves you wondering if anyone even looked at your CV.

If that’s happening to you, you’re not alone. Most candidates experience it at some point — and it’s rarely personal.

Why Silence Happens

  • High volume: Many roles attract hundreds of applicants. Not every CV gets read. Other vacancies might take priority, sometimes the role gets withdrawn completely or hiring gets put on hold due to various other internal pressures.
  • Slow processes: Hiring teams often move slower than expected, especially in larger organisations. When you factor in annual leave, sickness, shifting priorities and especially in markets where there are a lot of regulatory pressures and the hiring process is longer – think about getting DBS checks, references, full work histories etc, these are always very time consuming which often impacts on hiring teams’ ability to respond to every application.
  • Moving targets: Sometimes the requirements change, or the role is already half-filled when advertised. There might be internal applicants that need to be given priority or hiring teams might have access to a pool of previous candidates that they start approaching as soon as the vacancy goes live and might have made progress on one of these two fronts already.

Knowing this helps you see that silence isn’t a reflection of your value — it’s usually logistics. Keeping focused on the part of the process that you can control, rather than letting external factors affect your mindset, can make the difference between securing your dream job and giving up.

How to Handle It Practically

Here are steps you can take:

  • Track your applications. Keep a simple spreadsheet so you know when to follow up. This is particularly useful if you are applying across various platforms, including directly on employers’ websites, via LinkedIn or through an agency.
  • Follow up once. A short, polite message to the recruiter or HR contact shows initiative. You can reach out via their social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram, depending on the company) or follow up your application over email.
  • Keep momentum. Don’t stop applying elsewhere while you wait. It might be your dream job and you might think you meet the criteria 100%, but there are never any guarantees. Keep looking, you never know what other employers have in the pipeline.
  • Stay focused. If you have received a rejection email, if the vacancy is not live anymore or your status has changed to Not Selected by Employer, move on. Put your energy into live opportunities that could still lead to an interview.

Personal Advice – Moving Beyond Silence

This is where you can stand out.

  • After applying, research the company and follow them on their active social channels. If it feels natural, engage with some of their posts — but don’t overdo it.
  • If it’s a role you really want, call the company. Introduce yourself, explain you wanted to reach out before applying, and ask if interviews have started. Reaffirm your interest and offer to email your CV directly. This can often lead to a pre-screening call that you’ve initiated.
  • Remember: just because a vacancy is live doesn’t mean interviews haven’t started. Companies often keep ads up even while moving ahead with candidates.
  • If you know the hiring manager, connect or follow them on LinkedIn. A polite, short message like: “Hi [Name], I’ve seen the role advertised and think I’d be a strong fit. I’d be very keen to discuss this further — I’ve attached my CV.”
  • Always keep it respectful. Don’t pressure anyone, and don’t send repeated or irrelevant messages.

And finally — don’t take rejection or silence personally. You don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes or what “ideal” profile they’re targeting. In a competitive market, you’re often up against many skilled and well-prepared candidates just like you.

Silence is frustrating. But how you respond to it is what counts. By staying proactive, respectful, and visible, you give yourself the best chance to move from “just another CV” to someone they remember.

If this helped, share it with a friend who’s applying right now.