ADAPTED from Peter Vogt, MonsterTRAK Career Coach

You’ve applied online for a job you really want. But you can’t help wondering what your chances are against other applicants or whether your materials have disappeared into cyberspace. A follow-up phone call or email to the employer might help you see where you stand. But is that really a good idea? It depends.

“Hiring managers tell me they appreciate tenacity and the expression of enthusiasm and confidence about their fit that applicants convey by calling to follow up,” says Carol Anderson, director of career development and placement at the Robert J. Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy in New York City.

“We recently hired a student who wrote a lovely email detailing his background and why he wanted to get his work-experience requirement through working with our firm,” says Julia McKinley, national recruitment for Grant Thornton LLP in Canada, which is part of global accounting and consulting company Grant Thornton International. “When he called to follow up, I was impressed. He had done his research on the firm and had concrete reasons why he wanted to gain experience with us. So even though we had no budget and no opening, we hired him.”

But there’s another side to this story: The follow-up call that impresses one hiring manager may just annoy another.

“I think that following up on a résumé sent through the mail was more accepted, even if it was to make sure that the right person received the résumé,” says Bonita Martin, field employment and retention manager for Western & Southern Financial Group in Cincinnati. “But now that the Internet provides recruiters with hundreds of people sending résumés for positions, and each person may or may not meet the qualifications for the position, I prefer that candidates not follow up on an initial resume or reply to an advertisement.”

It’s ultimately your decision as to whether you should follow up with employers. But if you decide to do so, keep these key suggestions in mind.

How You Follow Up Matters Don’t complain that you have not heard anything but tell them that you are just checking if your resume was received and ask about interviews.

No One Likes a Stalker Wait a few days then only make one or two phone calls to follow up. Don’t harass people.

Email is a good Option Some employers don’t like phone calls, but are ok with emails. So send a quick thank you / follow up email , but again, only one.

Scripts Work If follow up phone calls are scary, use a brief script. Here is an example : “This is ______ calling. A few days ago I applied for the ______ position in your company’s ______ department/division. I’m calling to make sure you received my résumé and to reiterate my interest in the position.”

Brief is Best Don’t expect the employer to have a 20 minute phone conversation with you, or read a 4 page email, so keep your follow up concise. Remember : Be Smart, Be Brief, Be Gone.