How can you effectively follow up with contacts from a networking event in Career Development Coaching?

Following up keeps you top of mind. The follow up should be a personal email expressing how nice it was to meet them. Connect with the on LinkedIn and stay up to date.

Follow up creates consistency. By following up with new connections in your network, this puts you on the forefront of a recruiter’s mind! Follow up creates name recognition. If you continuously follow up with me, I am more likely to remember the impact you have made. The key is making sure that it is a positive impact. When following up, you do not want to appear annoying and desperate. Take an inquisitive and thankful posture during follow up. Those positive attitudes tends to stick better than spam messages and pointless questions.

Create a personalized message following up on something you discussed with the contact at the event or sharing something of interest to the contact.

Research. Research. Research. You have to know something before interacting with a recruiter. Visit the company webpage. Read their “About Us” section. From what you have learned about their company, develop questions you would like to ask their recruiter at a job fair, informational interview, or even over LinkedIn! This same rule applies for job positions too. Researching before hand is key. The candidate that asks poignant questions is going to stand out a lot more than the person who asks a question that can be answered on the webpage or job description.

You can send an email to follow up and it should be within 24 hours. The next follow up shouldn’t be too soon after but not too far apart either. I’d suggest following up for a second time after a week.

Following up again after not receiving a response requires finesse and persistence. Understanding that a lack of response doesn't necessarily signal disinterest, I advise individuals to approach follow-ups with a balanced strategy. While it's crucial not to inundate contacts with messages, a well-timed and respectful second or third follow-up can reignite the conversation. I stress the importance of spacing out messages, maintaining a week between each. Varying content and tone, coupled with offering value or incentives, ensures your follow-ups are seen as considerate and potentially irresistible. It's about staying persistent without becoming a digital nuisance.

Maintaining a network is crucial. I have spent the last couple months really researching network maintenance (check out my featured section). The easiest way to do it through consistent interaction. Consistent does not have to be frequent. Maybe it is weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. Sometimes it may be liking a LinkedIn post or other times it will be send a text or email. The point is to just stay in touch. Keep engaging with your network consistently so that you can frequently engage with them. Especially do this for the employers you’d like to work for in the future. Consistent engagement leads to name recognition and familiarity!

Mastering the art of post-networking event follow-ups in Career Development Coaching involves a thoughtful and personalized approach. I guide individuals to express genuine appreciation, referencing specific discussions to make their message memorable. Tailoring each interaction to align with the contact's interests and needs ensures a meaningful connection. Additionally, I emphasize the importance of providing value, whether through relevant resources, insights, or future collaboration ideas. It's not just about following up; it's about nurturing relationships that contribute to long-term professional growth.