You’ve been to the career fair. You made some great connections with folks. What now?
One of the reasons job fairs are impactful is that they’re an opportunity to meet people and make connections. And after the fair, it’s so important that you maintain those connections. So, after you meet some folks, you’ll want to focus on the art of the follow up.
1. Organize Your Contacts
After a job fair, you might walk away with business cards and LinkedIn profile links. First, organize them in a way that helps you recall who they were, where they worked, and what you talked about with them. Creating a spreadsheet that includes their name, email, company, and notes about the conversation is a great way to do this.
2. Prioritize Your Leads
Reflect on who showed the most interest, seemed eager to connect with you, or potential for mutually beneficial connection/relationship. Focus on those who are “high priority” and are essential that you follow up with as soon as possible. “Medium” and “low” priority will get follow-ups, but after you focus on those key contacts.
3. Personalize Follow-Up Emails
Craft emails that are personal, express gratitude for their time, remind them of the conversation you had, and express enthusiasm for opportunities at their company. Need an outline? This guide for thank you notes after interviews can easily be adapted for career fairs. Or use the template below:
Dear [Contact Name], It was a pleasure meeting you at [Job Fair Name]. I’m eager to explore opportunities with [Company Name], and I look forward to hearing about next steps/would love to talk more with you about these opportunities.
Make sure if you’re using a template here or from AI that you are personalizing and putting in specific information – no one wants to accidentally send an email that has bracketed form responses!
4. Connect on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for connection in the work world. Connect with people you met at the fair and make sure to personalize your connection request. Express your interest in staying connected in future opportunities. You can view suggested prompts in the Optimize Your LinkedIn guide or adapt the following:
Hi [Contact Name], It was great meeting you at [Job Fair Name]. I enjoyed our conversation about [specific topic]. Let’s connect here on LinkedIn to stay in touch.
5. Follow companies on LinkedIn & Attend Company-Specific Events
By following an organization on LinkedIn, you can stay up to date about company news, job postings, and industry trends. Show your interest by engaging and sharing their content – this is particularly important if you’re looking at a smaller company that will really notice your engagement.
Many companies host post-job fair events or information sessions. Attending these can increase your connection to the employer and understanding of the company and its culture.
By following these steps, you can help yourself stand out to employers, show your interest, and turn job-fair connections into meaningful steps in your career journey!
Adapted from: Mastering the Art of Post-Job Fair Success: Your Comprehensive Follow Up Plan on LinkedIn
