How to Follow Up After a Career Event

June 5, 2017
By Shaeffer Smith, BioSpace.com Contributor

You did it! You registered for the career event, did your research, prepared your resume and networked like a superstar. So now what?

Your networking shouldn’t end when the career event does. An important part of networking is what happens outside of the event itself. You’ve collected business cards, met some great people and had quality conversations about job opportunities, so don’t let your effort go to waste.

It’s time to follow up with the connections you’ve made so you don’t lose any opportunities you’ve created for yourself. Here are some tips for following up after a career event:

Keep track of everything and everyone

File away those business cards and notes you made about conversations, and don’t lose them! You never know when you’re going to need to reference something you noted during the career event.

Send an email, letter or call someone you are connected with

Did you have a great conversation with a hiring manager about a position? Or did you meet an interesting person and it sounds like their business is growing? You should absolutely get in contact with them whether by email, phone or an old-fashioned letter.

Start by referencing the event you both attended and what you talked about. Mention something specific, if possible. If there are open positions at that company, include what you are interested in and why you think you would be a good fit. Tell them what makes them stand out from other employers. If there are no positions that interest you, mention that you would like to maintain this mutual connection for any future opportunities.

Don’t delay

You shouldn’t wait any longer than two days to reach out to connections you made.

Maintain connections after you reach out

Touch base with your connections occasionally to show that you really care about fostering this relationship. LinkedIn is a good way to stay up to date with your professional connections.

Reflect on your experience

Improve your career event experience by reflecting on the types of conversations you had and the quality of connections you made. Use this reflection to enhance your experience at your next career event!

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