job questions

hello...i recently applied for a 3 jobs online and that was last week..i asked somewhere here if i have to follow up and a lot of you say i need to after a week,...i called up one of them and they said that they are still looking into it and will give me a call...does this mean im out of their list already?...do human resources or anybody thats hiring really tells you that you are not cut out for the job or would they keep me hanging forever ???..and would it be better if i have followed it up personally and not just by phone?
thanks..