If you're the average job seeker, you apply for a position by doing the right things: sending a resume and a well-written cover letter that perfectly targets the position for which you're applying. Now that you've sent your information to the job recruiter, you do a wrong thing: You wait for the recruiter to call you.

If you're proactive, you never wait for the phone to ring. Instead, you take matters into your own hands.

Making a phone call is a good follow-up method. If you're going to call a recruiter, know what you're going to say in advance. Keep it short and sweet. Your conversation with a recruiter may go something like this:

Candidate: "Hello, is this Jane Doe?"

Recruiter: "Yes, this is Jane."

Candidate: "Hi, Jane, my name is John Smith. I e-mailed you a resume for the accounting manager opening a few days ago, and I'm calling to make sure you received it."

(A few things can happen here. The recruiter can check to see whether she got your resume, or she'll say she did not receive it. Generally speaking, a recruiter will check.)

Recruiter: "Yes, it's right here."

(Note: Here's where you can get some extra information.)

Candidate: "That's great. Are you still reviewing resumes?"

(At this point, the recruiter will say yes or no.)

Recruiter: "We are still reviewing resumes, since we did get a really good response to our posting."

Candidate: "Well, I'd just like to say that I'm really interested in the position, and I believe my skills are a great fit for the job."

Recruiter: "Thank you very much. We'll call you if you're a good fit for the position."

Candidate: "I appreciate it, and I look forward to hearing from you."

Now it's time to hang up the phone. Recruiters are busy.

What happens if you don't hear from a recruiter? Should you keep calling?

No. Almost half of all the recruiters surveyed by Yahoo! HotJobs said that one of the things that bother them the most is candidates who continuously call. So don't do it: Calling frequently can hurt you a lot more than it can help you.

If you don't hear back from the recruiter, chalk it up to experience and keep plugging away. This is a numbers game. The more resumes you send, and the more you follow up, the more likely you are to get a job.