Headhunter Gone Quiet in Singapore: Why Recruiters Stop Replying (and How to Follow Up Without Hurting Your Chances)

Expert Q&A Guide by CV Writer Singapore

A headhunter calls you about a role. The conversation goes well, they ask for your updated resume, they say they’ll “submit you to the client this week”. Then you hear nothing. A week, two weeks. Your WhatsApp message shows two blue ticks and no reply.

This is one of the most common frustrations we hear from mid-career professionals in Singapore, and it’s rarely personal. Most of the time, the silence has a fairly boring explanation. But how you follow up does affect whether that recruiter thinks of you for the next role, so it’s worth getting right.

This guide explains why recruiters go quiet, what’s actually happening on their side, and how to follow up in a way that keeps you on their shortlist instead of their mute list.

Q1. Why do headhunters go silent after they seemed so keen?

Because their enthusiasm on the first call is about the role, not a promise about you.

When a recruiter first speaks to you, they’re trying to build a shortlist fast. They’re often running several searches at once and speaking to many candidates for each one. You may be a strong fit on paper, but they don’t control the outcome. The client does.

Once your profile goes over, the recruiter is waiting too. If the hiring manager hasn’t reviewed the shortlist, or has gone quiet themselves, the recruiter has nothing new to tell you. Many recruiters would rather say nothing than send “no update yet” five times. That’s not great practice, but it’s the reality in a lot of agencies.

Q2. How long should I wait before following up?

A reasonable rhythm looks like this:

• After they say they’ll submit you: wait about 5 working days, then check in.
• After a client interview: wait 3 to 5 working days unless they gave you a timeline.
• After that, follow up roughly once a week, not every other day.

If the recruiter gave you a specific date (“the client will decide by Friday”), wait until the next working day after that date. Following up before the deadline they gave you just signals anxiety.

Q3. What should a good follow-up message actually say?

Keep it short, specific and easy to answer. Recruiters read messages on their phones between calls. If they need to scroll, they’ll leave it for later and probably forget.

Something like:

Hi Rachel, hope you’re well. Just checking in on the Regional Finance Manager role with the logistics MNC. Any update from the client on the shortlist? Happy to share anything else they need. Thanks!

That’s it. Name the role, ask one question, offer help. Don’t restate your whole background or explain why you’re perfect for it. They already have your resume.

Q4. Should I use WhatsApp, email, LinkedIn or call?

Use whatever channel the recruiter used with you first. In Singapore, a lot of agency recruiters work mainly on WhatsApp and phone, while in-house talent acquisition teams tend to stick to email.

As a rough guide:

• WhatsApp is fine for short check-ins if they’ve messaged you there.
• Email is better if you’re sending documents, references or anything formal.
• LinkedIn messages often get buried, so don’t rely on them for time-sensitive follow-ups.
• Calls are fine occasionally, but don’t call repeatedly without warning. A quick “is now a good time?” message first is more respectful.

Avoid following up on three channels at once. It comes across as pushy, even if you just wanted to make sure they saw it.

Q5. Why does the recruiter reply to other messages but not mine?

Usually because your message doesn’t need an answer, or the answer is “nothing to report”.

If you send “Hi, any update?” and there is no update, many recruiters will simply sit on it. It’s not you being ignored so much as them not wanting to say “still waiting”. It’s also possible the role has gone on hold, been filled internally, or the client has moved forward with someone else and the recruiter hasn’t got round to closing the loop.

It helps to give them an easy out. Adding “If it’s on hold or they’ve gone another way, no worries, just let me know so I can plan” often gets a faster, more honest reply.

Q6. Does following up too often actually hurt me?

Yes, it can.

Recruiters are judging how you’ll come across to their client. If you message every day, call repeatedly, or sound irritated, they start wondering how you’ll behave during offer negotiation or if the client takes a while to decide. Some will quietly deprioritise you for future roles because you feel like hard work.

Persistent but calm is the tone you want. Once a week is enough. If you’ve followed up twice with no reply, step back and focus on your other applications.

Q7. What if I find out they never submitted my resume?

It happens, and it’s frustrating. Sometimes the recruiter decided after speaking to more candidates that you weren’t the strongest match. Sometimes the client changed the brief. Sometimes it simply fell through the cracks.

If you’re unsure, it’s fair to ask directly: “Just to confirm, has my profile gone to the client yet, or are you still finalising the shortlist?” That’s a reasonable question and a good recruiter will answer it honestly.

What you shouldn’t do is apply to the same role directly with the company after a recruiter has said they’ll submit you, without telling them. That can create a duplicate submission, which annoys both the client and the agency, and in some cases neither side will want to deal with the ownership dispute.

Q8. Can I work with more than one recruiter at the same time?

Yes, and most experienced professionals in Singapore do. Just be organised about it.

Keep a simple list of which recruiter sent you to which company and when. If a second recruiter calls about a role you’ve already been submitted for, tell them straight away. Don’t let two agencies submit you to the same client. It looks careless and can get you dropped from the process entirely.

Being upfront also helps the recruiter trust you. When they know you’re open with them about other processes, they’re more likely to keep you updated on theirs.

Q9. How do I follow up after a client interview the recruiter arranged?

Go through the recruiter, not around them.

After the interview, send the recruiter a short debrief the same day: how you felt it went, anything the interviewer seemed unsure about, and whether you’re still keen. This is useful to them because the client will often call the recruiter for feedback, and your input helps them position you.

Something like:

Hi Daniel, interview with the Head of Ops went well. They asked a lot about my experience managing vendors across ASEAN, which I think landed. They did seem a bit unsure about my exposure to SAP, so if that comes up, I’ve used it for about four years at my current company. Still very keen on the role.

Sending a thank-you note directly to the hiring manager is fine if you have their email, but keep it short and don’t use it to chase for a decision. Decisions should come through the recruiter.

Q10. The recruiter disappeared after I told them my expected salary. Is that related?

It might be.

If your expected salary is clearly above the client’s budget, some recruiters will quietly move on rather than have an awkward conversation. That’s poor communication on their side, but it’s worth checking whether your number was realistic for the role and market.

If you suspect this, it’s fine to reopen the topic: “Just wanted to check, was my salary expectation within the range for this role? I’m open to discussing the overall package.” That gives them a reason to re-engage if you’re actually flexible. If you’re not flexible, that’s fine too, but then the silence is probably your answer.

Q11. Why does silence feel worse when I’ve been retrenched or I’m over 40?

Because the stakes feel higher, and every unanswered message starts to feel like a judgement on your age or situation.

It’s natural, but try not to read too much into a single quiet recruiter. Silence is common across all experience levels. What matters more is your overall pipeline. If you’re relying on one or two recruiters for your entire job search, every delay will feel personal. If you’ve got several conversations going through recruiters, direct applications, MyCareersFuture, JobStreet and your own network, one slow recruiter is just one slow recruiter.

If you’re mid-career and keep hitting silence from multiple recruiters, that’s when it’s worth looking at your resume and LinkedIn profile. A pattern usually points to how you’re being presented, not to the follow-up messages.

Q12. How do I know when to stop following up?

Two or three polite follow-ups with no response over three or four weeks is a reasonable cut-off for a specific role.

At that point, send one closing message that keeps the door open:

Hi Rachel, I’ll assume the Regional Finance Manager role has moved on. Thanks for thinking of me, and do keep me in mind for similar roles in finance or FP&A in the future.

This does two things. It closes the loop without sounding bitter, and it reminds the recruiter what kind of roles you’re suited for. Recruiters remember candidates who handle rejection or silence well, and many second conversations start this way.

Q13. How do I stay on a headhunter’s radar for future roles?

Make yourself easy to place.

Recruiters remember candidates who are clear about what they want, realistic about salary, responsive when contacted and easy to present to clients. A few practical habits help:

• Keep your resume updated and ready to send within the hour if they ask for it.
• Tell them clearly what roles, industries and salary range you’re targeting.
• Update them if something changes, such as you’re now open to contract roles or you’ve accepted another offer.
• Reply promptly when they reach out, even if it’s to say no thanks.

A short check-in every couple of months is fine if you’ve built a relationship. Don’t send generic “any roles for me?” messages every week.

Q14. Is it worth complaining if a recruiter handled things badly?

Usually not, unless something seriously wrong happened, such as your details being shared without permission or a client being misled about your background.

For ordinary poor communication, it’s better to simply note it and prioritise recruiters who treat you well. Singapore’s recruitment market is small. Recruiters move between agencies, and some later move in-house. Staying professional even with a recruiter who frustrated you is the smarter long-term move.

If you do have a genuine concern about how an employment agency handled your personal data or an application, you can raise it with the agency’s management first, and relevant authorities if needed.

Final Thoughts

Headhunters going quiet is part of how recruitment works in Singapore, not a sign you’ve failed. Most silence comes from waiting on the client, a change in the brief, or a recruiter juggling too many searches.

What you can control is how you come across. Follow up at a sensible pace, keep messages short and specific, be honest about other processes, and close the loop gracefully when a role goes nowhere. Do that consistently, and you’ll be the candidate recruiters call first, not the one they avoid.

And if several recruiters keep going quiet after seeing your resume, that’s a signal worth paying attention to. It usually means your profile isn’t making it easy for them to sell you to a client.

Need Help?

If recruiters are calling but nothing moves forward after they see your resume, CV Writer Singapore can help. We rewrite resumes and LinkedIn profiles for mid-career professionals, retrenched professionals, expats and fresh graduates so recruiters can present you confidently to their clients.

WhatsApp us at +65 9681 2409 to get started.