When you apply for a job or are waiting to hear back from an interview it’s tempting to want to call and email to find out when they’ll be making a decision but there is a fine line between being persistent and being a pain. Let me explain.

After sending your resume to a company it’s perfectly ok to call and verify that they received it. Same with an after interview follow up phone call (although this doesn’t take the place of a post-interview thank you letter!). You can call to express your continued interest in the position and thank them again for the interview.

Now that you’ve done that you may need to sit back and wait. If they have given you a date that they will be making their decision it is not going to help you to call every day until then. You might think it shows determination, tenacity and perseverance. But how you will come across to others is desperate, irritating and a nuisance. Not exactly someone they will be eager to hire.

Ok, so what if the date for a decision comes and goes or it’s been two weeks since your interview, then by all means follow up with the hiring manager again. The key to being persistent is not crossing the line into annoyingly pesty. An initial follow up call and then again a week or two later is persistence. Calling and emailing incessantly is being a pest. While it might be hard when you’re waiting to hear about a job, resist the urge to constantly check where they are at with making a decision.

Since we’re talking about being a pest, don’t send a gift. Sending a gift to the hiring manager (before or after an interview) might get their attention but probably not the attention you want. You may have attended the same college but sending a big foam finger in school colors will not get you the job. The same goes for baked goods, don’t send them, or bring them to an interview, unless you’re applying to a bakery!

Don’t stalk the hiring manager. Showing up at the company to check in isn’t going to make them hire you; it may however make them call security. Another way to give off a stalker vibe is to send friend requests to them on social networks. Keep it professional!

Don’t have friends, colleagues or your mom (seriously, it’s been done) call the company on your behalf. This will do nothing to help you secure a job. This is what references are for and if a company wants them they will ask for them. Just don’t have your friends solicit for you.