If this occurs, you have a judgment call to make. Calling or emailing back a week or so later can be a nice reminder to the hiring authority to contact you. They may have been planning to, but it slipped their mind. The fact that they didn't return your contact could be a message of some sort, or just a mistake! Wait a week or so between your first and second attempt.
After you have called or emailed twice and have not had your communication returned, we recommend reducing your expectations. It may not have anything to do with you as a candidate, but everything to do with the hiring authority. However, if this is the case, do you really want to work for someone who cannot be relied upon to return phone calls or emails?
Who knows, you may be contacted in the future or you may hear nothing, ever. A formal rejection letter is appropriate to send to all candidates who applied and were not selected, but, occasionally, even that courtesy is neglected. Once again, ask yourself what that says about the hiring authority or department and how they treat their people.
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