You just finished a job application interview. You are pleased with the way you handled yourself and that voice inside you assures you that you have made it. The people who handled your interview told you that they would call you soon. Unfortunately, you did not hear from them. You were very disappointed. And what's worse, things like this are constantly happening. Just remember: Companies can display improper etiquette just like people. It's not good, but it is common.

On Tuesday, Cheryl was interviewed by a company for a job application. Cheryl knew that she did very well in the interview. The HR representative told her that they would contact her within the week. Friday came, and still no one from the company made an attempt to contact Cheryl. She was getting worried. She wanted to ask about her application but she was confused.

Cheryl realized that she should talk to her cousin Gloria, who is a HR manager. Her cousin told her that it is all right to ask the company about her job application but she should inquire on Tuesday. Gloria specifically told Cheryl not to make follow up calls during Mondays because it is always poor timing.

That Tuesday, Cheryl made the call to the company. Before making the call, she made sure that she was prepared. She even wrote a script of her message to establish a good impression. When she dialed, she reached a voice mail and left a message:

"This is Cheryl Jones; I came to your office last Tuesday for a job interview. I would like to inquire about the status of my application and if you are still considering me for the position. I would be grateful if you would call me back today. My contact number is 333-999-8888. Thank you very much."

If a company does not call you back as promised, it is okay to get back to them and leave them a message. Do not call unless you are ready. Make sure that you sound professional and polite. Explain to the company representative that you need to know the status of your application before you consider other opportunities because their company is your best option. Try to follow-up once until the third time. If they still do not respond, consider your application to be denied. Otherwise you will just seem annoying to them.

There is a great possibility that you will be able to talk to a person when you follow up. If this happens, grab this chance to inquire about your job application. There are times when a person will talk to you and give you reasonable advice, but this rarely happens. Make sure to thank this person when this occurs and try to gain wisdom from this circumstance.

Bosses know that applicants are very eager to find out about the results of their application. For this reason, most employers wait for the right time to discuss this matter to the applicant. On the other hand, there are employers who let applicants wait even after announcement date. You have to consider things like this before working for that particular employer. Meanwhile, do something productive while you wait by looking for other jobs.