How to Follow Up After a Trades Interview

You nailed the interview. You answered the questions, shook hands (or signed off the video call), and walked away feeling good. Now what?

For a lot of tradespeople and apprentice hopefuls, this is where the process stalls. They wait. They wonder. And eventually, they move on – or worse, the employer moves on first.

A well-timed follow-up can be the difference between being forgotten and being first in mind when the right role opens up. Here’s how to do it properly.

Why Following Up Actually Matters

In the trades, reputation travels fast. How you handle yourself after an interview is part of how you’re judged – just like how you show up to a site matters as much as the work you do once you’re there.

A follow-up shows an employer you’re serious. It reminds them of your name when they’re looking back through applications. And if they’re not ready to hire right now, it puts you at the top of the list when they are.

It also gives you a chance to address anything you wish you’d said better in the interview – without being pushy about it.

When to Follow Up (And When Not To)

Timing matters. Follow up too soon, and you look impatient. Leave it too long, and you’ve missed your window.

Here’s a simple guide:

• Send a thank-you message within 24–48 hours of the interview.

• If they said they’d be in touch “by Friday” and Friday passes with no word, a brief check-in the following Monday is fair.

• If no timeline was given, wait five to seven business days before following up.

• After two follow-ups with no response, it’s reasonable to assume they’ve gone another direction – and to focus your energy elsewhere.

One follow-up is professional. Three unanswered follow-ups starts to work against you.

What to Say in a Follow-Up

Keep it short. Employers are busy – they don’t need a wall of text, they need to be reminded you exist and that you’re still interested.

A good follow-up message does three things:

• Thanks them for their time

• Reaffirms your interest in the role or the business

• Asks clearly about next steps (or the timeline if one wasn’t given)

Here’s an example you can adapt:

Hi [Name], thanks again for taking the time to meet with me last [day]. I’m still very interested in the [role/apprenticeship] and wanted to check in on where things are at. Happy to provide any more information if that helps. Thanks, [Your name]

That’s it. Professional, direct, no fluff.

How to Follow Up (Email vs Phone vs Text)

Match the communication style the employer used during the process. If they emailed you, follow up by email. If everything happened over the phone, a call is fine – just make sure you’re calling at a reasonable time, not 7am on a Monday.

If you’re not sure, email is almost always the safer choice. It gives the employer time to respond when it suits them, and it creates a record of the interaction.

Avoid texting unless the employer has already texted you directly. It can come across as too casual for a first follow-up.

What if the Role Has Already Been Filled?

It happens. Sometimes you follow up and find out they’ve already hired someone. That’s disappointing – but it’s not a closed door.

Ask if they’d be open to keeping your details on file. Many employers in the trades are constantly looking for good people – they just don’t always have a formal role open at any given time. Being in their contacts when the next position comes up is genuinely valuable.

It’s also worth asking whether they know of other businesses that might be hiring – the trades community is tighter than people think, and a referral from one employer to another carries real weight.

Join the MiRecruit Candidate Pool

If you’re actively looking for work or an apprenticeship in the trades, the smartest thing you can do right now is get your details in front of employers before a role is even advertised.

MiRecruit maintains a candidate pool that employers reach out to directly when they’re hiring. Getting registered takes a few minutes and means you’re already on the radar. Find out more and register here.

A follow-up after an interview is a smart move. But being registered with MiRecruit means you’re not waiting for the perfect job ad to appear – you’re already in the conversation.