It’s perfectly acceptable – and often times encouraged – to follow up with businesses / organizations you’ve recently applied to, in an effort to receive some feedback. If a couple of weeks have passed and you’re curious as to where your application stands in the reviewing process, placing a phone call to the recruiter or hiring manager is a responsible (and understandable) move.
The key to receiving valuable feed back is to:
1) be patient – let some time pass before you follow up, which increases the likelihood that your resume has been reviewed or is in the process of being reviewed
2) be polite – feeling impatient and frustrated with a time-consuming job search is unavoidable, but sending an aggressive email or expressing your frustration over the phone will not help your progress. Maintain a positive reputation by communicating in a clear, pleasant manner.
3) be understanding – there are hundreds of applicants on a given day, and thorough resume reviews take time. Follow up after a reasonable period of time has passed (1-2 weeks is a good time frame.) After the review is complete and the recruiter/hiring manager is able to provide you with feedback, listen carefully. Whether it’s positive or negative (or both), take all information and use it to your advantage.