When you submit an application for employment or leave a resume with a company, you may or may not be told when a hiring decision will be made. Following up on the status of the opening a week or two after applying will let the employer know you're still interested and available. Touching base in a professional manner also lets you emphasize your interest and enthusiasm for the position.
Most companies request approximately two weeks time to advertise the job, collect applications and review them before narrowing the pool of applicants who will be called in for personal interviews. Wait the standard length of time before making your call, unless the position is advertised as something that must be filled immediately. If this is the case, you can reasonably call to check on the status of your application within a week of applying.
Advertisement Article continues below this adIf you put your application to the attention of a particular person in the organization, this is the individual to follow up with. If you submitted an application to the company's website or left it with a front desk receptionist, call the main number and ask who is responsible for making hiring decisions. The company might have a hiring manager or a human resources department. If it's a small business, the department manager or even business owner may be the decision maker. If in doubt, ask the receptionist.