Key takeaways
- First follow-up at day 7 (working days), second at day 14 through another channel, last at day 21. After that, move on.
- In engineering, the decision goes through the recruiter, the technical manager and often senior management. Follow up with the recruiter, never with the engineer who ran your test.
- A follow-up that brings a new fact (a point about your test, a certification, a delivered project) gives the recruiter a concrete reason to chase the technical team.
To follow up with a recruiter in engineering, wait 7 working days after an application or a technical interview, then send a short email that recalls the role, the date of your contact and one concrete technical point, before asking about next steps. If the recruiter gave you a date, follow up two working days after it. The general rules are in our guide on how to follow up with a recruiter; this article covers what is specific to engineers, technicians and draughtspeople.
Why silence is the norm in engineering recruitment
An automation engineer, a process engineer or a maintenance technician is assessed on skills the recruiter cannot judge alone. They wait for the opinion of someone whose first priority is a production line or a client project.
How the process really works: delays and priorities
We see three bottlenecks again and again in our technical recruitments:
- The test is waiting to be marked. The engineer assessing it has more urgent deliverables.
- The shop floor comes first. A production stoppage, a client audit, a commissioning: the workshop manager or project manager is not available to decide.
- The role is waiting for its budget. In an industrial group, creating a position may depend on approval from headquarters, sometimes abroad.
None of these silences says anything about the quality of your application.
What the silence tells you about the company
Response time also tells you how a company runs its projects. An SME that answers within three days, with a two-step process, probably decides fast internally too. A large group that takes six weeks between two interviews works through committees and successive sign-offs. Neither is bad in itself, but the information is useful: if you hate waiting for a signature before launching a change, an endless hiring process is a clue to take seriously.
The warning sign is not slowness, it is inconsistency: announced dates never met, contacts who keep changing, questions you are asked again. In the interview, one question tests it: "How does project approval work here?"
The ideal timeline for following up without pushing
Three follow-ups at most, a week apart, each with a different channel or content. The table shows the matrix we use with our engineering candidates. To keep track, keep a list of your applications, processes under way and replies expected, as SECO recommends.
| Moment | Channel | What the follow-up brings |
|---|---|---|
| Day 7 (working days) | A reminder of the role and one concrete technical point | |
| Day 14 | Phone or LinkedIn | A direct exchange, a question about the timeline |
| Day 21 | A last courtesy follow-up that closes things politely | |
| Announced deadline + 2 working days | The deadline follow-up (replaces day 7) | |
| After a technical test | A clarification of one choice in your solution, at day 5 |
Think about your notice period too. Under the Swiss Code of Obligations (art. 335c), it is one month in the first year of service, two months from the second to the ninth year, then three months, to the end of a month, unless agreed otherwise in writing. An engineer who has been in post for four years and signs on 15 November therefore cannot start before 1 February. Mentioning your availability date in the follow-up after the final interview helps the employer plan.
Choosing the right channel: email, LinkedIn or phone
The channel is not neutral: it says something about your judgement. The basic rule, one follow-up per channel per week, avoids looking like harassment.
Email: the safe choice
It leaves a written record, can be forwarded to the technical manager in one click and can carry a technical clarification. It is the default channel for the first and last follow-up. Write to the recruiter handling your file; if you applied through a recruitment agency, to the consultant only.
LinkedIn: when and how
LinkedIn is useful when you have no direct email address, or for the second follow-up if the email went unanswered. Write to the recruiter, not to your future manager. Keep it short: the role, the date of your application, one question. Do not send the same message by email and on LinkedIn on the same day.
3 follow-up email templates for engineering
Each template matches a typical situation in industry or in a design office. Replace each bracket with a real detail: a generic follow-up gives nobody a reason to answer.
Template 1: application with no reply
Subject: Application for the [job title] role, ref. [number]
Dear Ms [Name],I sent you my application on [date] for the [job title] role. My experience in [field, e.g. industrialising assembly lines] matches the responsibilities in the ad; since then I have [obtained a certification / delivered a project], which strengthens that point.Is my application still under review?Kind regards,[First name Last name], [phone], [LinkedIn link]
Template 2: after a technical interview
Subject: Technical interview on [date], [job title] role
Dear Mr [Name],Thank you for the technical interview on [date] with [manager's name]. Coming back to the question on [topic, e.g. reducing changeover times]: I should have added that [one-sentence answer, quantified if possible].Where does the process stand, and what is the next step?Kind regards,[First name Last name]
Template 3: the deadline follow-up
Subject: [Job title] role, following our conversation on [date]
Hello,During our interview on [date], you mentioned getting back to me around [announced date]. I am still very interested in the role and wanted to know whether the timeline has changed.For your information, my notice period is [X] months, which would allow a start on [date].Kind regards,[First name Last name]
Before the next interview, find out which types of engineers are most in demand to position your profile.
5 mistakes specific to engineering candidates
Technical profiles rarely fall into an aggressive tone. Their mistakes are more discreet, and often more serious.
- Contacting the engineer who ran your test. They do not make the decision, and you put them in an awkward position.
- Sending back a corrected version of the test. It looks like a second attempt. A three-line clarification in the email is enough.
- Attaching drawings or documents from your current employer. Even to illustrate a project, it is a breach of confidentiality that worries any industrial employer.
- Using every channel at once. Email, LinkedIn and a phone call in the same week: you go from motivated to pushy.
- Going around the agency. Writing directly to the client company when a consultant put you forward often gets you dropped from the process.
Pre-send checklist:
- The recipient is the recruiter or consultant handling your file.
- The subject line contains the job title, reference and date.
- The email contains a technical point or a new fact.
- No attachment that was not requested.
- Spelling, names and figures checked.
The phone follow-up: a 30-second script
The call is the most effective channel for the second follow-up, and the most dreaded. With a short script, it takes less time than an email.
"Hello, this is [First name Last name]. I had the technical interview on [date] for the [job title] role. I'm calling to find out where the process stands: do you have an idea of the timeline?"
If the recruiter says no decision has been made, ask one thing only: "Is there any point in my profile the technical team needs clarified?" It is a useful question; it often tells you what is holding things up. If you reach voicemail, leave a twenty-second message with your number, once, and do not leave a second one.
Call mid-morning, not on Monday morning. An industrial recruiter often spends the start of the week in production meetings or planning sessions.
Frequently asked questions
How many times should you follow up with an engineering recruiter?
Three times at most: at day 7, day 14 and day 21. With no reply after the third, focus on other applications.
Is following up frowned upon?
No, as long as follow-ups are spaced out and bring something. They show your interest and help the recruiter move a file that is stuck with the technical team.
Should you follow up in English if the interview was in English?
Yes. Keep the language of your last exchange; it is also a way to show you are at ease in it.
Can the recruiter contact my current employer?
Not without your consent. The employer may only collect information related to your suitability for the job (art. 328b of the Code of Obligations), and taking up references requires your agreement.
What if the job is reposted while I am waiting?
Do not jump to conclusions: an ad can be reposted automatically. Follow up with the recruiter, mentioning the repost, to find out where your file stands.
Read also
- Engineering careers in Switzerland
- Is it hard to be an engineer in Switzerland?
- Starting engineer salary
- The engineer shortage
- Work permits for foreign engineers
