Once someone has referred you, send a brief thank-you and let the recruiting process work. The referrer usually cannot control when recruiting reviews the application or guarantee an interview.

Follow up when you have something meaningful to share, such as an interview invitation, a final outcome or a material application update. Repeatedly asking whether they have 'heard anything' can put them in an awkward position.

If the referral itself has a technical problem, such as a missing link or incorrect email, that is different. Ask once with the specific issue so it can be fixed.

Think of the relationship beyond this application. A concise update preserves the connection better than treating the person as a tracking system for your candidacy.

After the referral is submitted, meaningful updates such as an interview invite or final outcome are better reasons to follow up than repeated status checks.