Rebuild the missing context
Assume the recipient will not remember every date, promise, or earlier conversation. For a message about how to follow up after an informational interview, use this factual base: restate the role, conversation, submission, or promise and include the relevant date or reference.
Say what needs to happen next
State the decision, information, or practical action you need and include a real deadline only when one exists. Ask one answerable question, make any real deadline visible, and offer an easy way to close the loop. Make the immediate next step clear enough that the recipient can answer without reconstructing the entire history.
Avoid making urgency into pressure
Do not send daily reminders, manufacture competing offers, or contact unrelated employees for leverage. Use the official application or accessibility channel when the matter involves protected information or accommodation. Do not make the other person responsible for reducing the discomfort that prompted you to write.