What’s your current situation?
If you haven’t heard back from an employer in over a week or the period they said they would respond by, following up is appropriate (unless the application explicitly states that no emails or phone calls are allowed).
Congratulations! You’ve received an offer:
You’ve landed a job offer! Congratulations! Take time to celebrate and recognize the effort you’ve put in.
Sorry, you didn’t get accepted to the role:
Rejections are a common part of the job hunting experience, so don’t let it demotivate you! Just because one place didn’t offer you a position doesn’t mean no one will. Remember, the position has to be the right fit for you and the right fit for the employer. Keep applying and building relationships with employers.
Informing any invested 3rd parties of application outcomes:
During your job search process, you would have talked to and interviewed with multiple people. These people are now a part of your professional journey and can prove to be extremely helpful and supportive when you start looking for a job again. Informing them of the end result from your job search is a great way to be professional and to bring a personal element to the process. After you’ve written your thank you note, plan to connect with them on LinkedIn, if you haven’t already done so.