-- "if" their qualifications meet our requirements, we will contact them. If they dont hear from us, it's "common sense" for them to realise what's obvious.

-- "if" they send a follow-up or even call, I just tell them the truth.

I have a lot on my plate when it comes to work load, but spending 2-3 minutes to answer their call or reply to their e-mail would be LESS workload for me.

I always think like this: I was once an applicant, looking for a job...so I know how it feels to wait and hope that I would land that or this job.