How to follow up on an unanswered cold email

I emailed a recruiter with whom I have had a relationship in the past. He hasn't responded yet and I'm thinking he just missed my email (I sent it at about 7:30 am so probably before he was in the office), is it ok to just follow up with a:

Hi Mr. XXXXX

I just wanted to follow up on this email and make sure this got through before.

I was thinking I should try one more email before a call...

21 Comments
 

You sent it at 7:30 am this morning? If that's the case, he's probably a busy guy and isn't going to answer a cold email right away. Wait a few days and call...

 

Just call him. I appreciate your anxiety, but he won't care. Just remind him upfront that you reached out last week.

"There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat."
 

I've had bankers wait 2-3 weeks before responding to me. Sometimes they're just busy.

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
 
NeighborI've had bankers wait 2-3 weeks before responding to me. Sometimes they're just busy.

Did you attempt to follow up before he responded? Or did you cold email him, and get a reply 3 weeks later out of nowhere?

"There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat."
 
Sandhurst
NeighborI've had bankers wait 2-3 weeks before responding to me. Sometimes they're just busy.

Did you attempt to follow up before he responded? Or did you cold email him, and get a reply 3 weeks later out of nowhere?

I cold-emailed him, didn't follow-up and got a response a few weeks later. Happened 2 or 3 times to me actually.

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
 

If you have the number, pick up the phone. Don't rely on someone else to take action when they have more important things to do. Especially if it is "cold."

 

Where are you studying abroad? If I were you I would do my best to reach out to them with a phone call, this can be figured out as you clearly are able to post on this board, unless you are in an internet cafe in Ethiopia headed for a semester in sunny Somalia. even a voicemail would work and they could remember your name from an email they sifted through. I would also try the Linkedin route and perhaps invest in a premium account for a month and just send inMail's explaining your situation if you are truly somewhere remote.

"I'm a historian, and that freaks me out."- Mike Tyson
 

I'm in Morocco for the year. Skype is possible, but the internet connection is so weak that I would hate to call 6 times only to have my voice sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I haven't found any reasonable phone plan to call the US, either. The place has an office in Paris, but I'm not traveling there until my spring break when it would be far too late to call, I fear.

Can you send InMail to non-premium accounts?

Thanks for the tip.

 
LBObuyoutHi x,

I understand you must be really busy, but I just wanted to follow up on my earlier email and see if it would be possible for us to have a chat for 10 - 15 minutes in the next one or two weeks, whenever your schedule is relatively open.

Thanks.

I wouldn't do this.

If you get no initial response I would basically send a re-written version of the same email with the same general idea. Would like to talk to you about the opportunity. Chances are they 1. Aren't going to respond regardless of what you say because some people are just like that or 2. Saw your email and forgot to respond, and the new email will act as a reminder

 

Monday. I usually would say wait 2 weeks for 2nd cold. If they don't respond after that move on

"They are all former investment bankers that were laid off in the economic collapse that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have no marketable skills, but by God they work hard."
 

Sit voluptate aut sit nostrum provident explicabo facere enim. Aut sed est totam et nemo. Enim tempore tempora et ullam dolorem. Eveniet et recusandae culpa magni accusamus nesciunt explicabo. Commodi eos in esse ducimus rerum enim.

Est hic cupiditate ratione quam voluptatibus dolor et ratione. Optio nisi aperiam omnis esse. Laudantium eligendi qui tempore blanditiis aut nihil dolorum. Nobis sit sed vero.

Delectus porro recusandae quaerat iure aut nihil officiis. Libero odio quas vitae.

Rerum dolore optio eligendi nihil numquam. Vero aliquam necessitatibus aliquam illo sunt dolor ut facere. Neque aspernatur quia ex alias. Ut omnis veniam aliquid qui distinctio doloremque id. Quas aperiam aliquam non doloremque nobis labore expedita.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (77) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (71) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”