Following Up

So you went to the Career Fair, or any networking event and you met some important people, shared some contact info, and now you've been staring at your email inbox with sweaty palms for days.  Well we’re here to fix that. We want to share with you the importance of the “follow-up” and how to handle it for different situations.

Career Fair/Networking Event

Okay so there are some things you should do at these events (and if you didn't, there are some things you can do and we can get to that later).

• ALWAYS get a contact (preferably business card) and really engrave their name into your brain
• If they don’t give you a time frame they’ll contact you, ask them when to expect an email/phone call
• Email them right after the event thanking them for their time and information (also consider reattaching the documents you gave them in person just to be safe). Include any information you may have forgot to mention as well. 

So if you’re still within that time frame and haven’t heard anything, you have nothing to worry about. Once you pass 24 hours after that time frame, shoot them an email reminded them of who you are, when you talked with them and what you talked about.

Remember when we said there are things you can do if you missed one of those steps during the event? Well luckily our office is full of staff members who work directly with these recruiters, which means you can email your program coordinator asking for the recruiter contact of a specific company

Interview

The interview follow up is arguably more important than the initial one. Remember, this is the best of the best now, and small things can help them filter out who they hire. Make sure you...

• Email them within 24 hours thanking them for the interview opportunity
• Include any information you forgot to mention at the interview
• In the email, use specific names and information of things they gave you. The more you show that you listened and retained knowledge from the interview, the better you look.

In any situation in your life where you need information from somebody, following up is vital. It shows that you take initiative and that you’re confident. It doesn't have to be just for obtaining a job, but in your career when you need to contact a client, or even in general with a friend/family member. Don’t be timid, and you’ll earn respect and possibly, in this case, a job.