Employers don't consider your resume follow-up a waste of their time. While there will always be potential employers who are firm believers in the "don't call us, we'll call you" approach, most recruiters admire candidates who make an ef fort to follow up on their resumes. Follow-up shows both initiative and persistence, traits good managers love, especially in individuals who are applying for positions with major responsibilities. Don't worry about seeming too enthusiastic. Company representatives enjoy being pursued. It massages their egos and reminds them their company is worth courting.

My first six years in the business were hopeless. There are a lot of times when you sit and you say "Why am I doing this? I'll never make it. It's just not going to happen. I should go out and get a real job, and try to survive."
George Lucas

There is no universally preferred format. Many job seekers spend days perfecting their resumes, agonizing over whether to use a chronological format or a functional one. This question may be akin to figuring how many angels will fit on the head of a pin. There is no one perfect resume to suit every employer's needs. But there is a perfect resume for a specific opportunity. If you are going to focus on perfection, do it on an individual, rather than a global basis.