3 Impressive Ways to Follow Up With Recruiters After a Job Fair

A job fair is a chance to meet with recruiters and representatives from many different companies who may be hiring. Before you go to a job fair, it’s important to print out copies of your meticulously edited resume, dress for success and have your elevator pitch down pat. But attending a job fair isn’t the end of the journey. 

Attending is futile if you don’t follow up with those who you met after or organize what you’ve learned. Here’s how to get the most out of your job fair attendance after the day is over:

What to do after attending a job fair?

Before you breathe a sigh of relief after the day is done, review any materials that you collected or any notes that you’ve taken down. It’s best to review this asap while the information is still fresh in your mind. Plus, you should begin the follow-up process soon after attending. File away and organize your materials after you take appropriate action like adding an email to your contact list.

1. Conduct some light research. 

While you should research companies who will be attending prior to attending a job fair, after you’ve had a chance to review who you enjoyed talking to, learn more about their company. Read reviews and see what reasons they’ve appeared in the news. If you’re really interested in the company, set up a Google Alert so that you’ll be the among the first to know when news — like new job postings — hits the web.  

2. Consider any revisions you were given.

Depending on the nature of the job fair, you may have received feedback on your resume or other materials, such as your business card or website. If this is the case for you, you should edit your materials as soon as possible. When you reach out to companies, update the materials that you need first so that you’re putting your best foot forward.

3. Add employers on LinkedIn. 

You updated your LinkedIn page before attending the fair, so now it’s time for your hard work to pay off. LinkedIn is a great tool because recruiters can glean a sense of your accomplishments, work history and personality with ease. Being an active user increases the chance that you’ll be on their mind when a new position does open up. You’ll also have the advantage of getting a first look if they share an opening. Discovering mutual connections can also give you a boost.

Should you follow up after a job fair?

Yes. You should follow up if you have any interest in working with the company in the present or future. If you speak with a representative from a company you really admire, you should reach out even if they don’t currently have a position open that you’re interested in. Having that person as a contact when something more up your alley does open up can be a major advantage. Failing to follow up significantly decreases the likelihood of the connection lasting beyond the fair. Even if you gave a representative or recruiter a hard copy of your resume, following up is still crucial. If you end up applying for a position with that company in the future, the recruiter you spoke with is more likely to remember you if there’s a paper trail.

When should you send a follow-up email after a career fair?

When it comes to connecting with someone from a place where they likely met many people, the sooner, the better — within reason. You should email between 24 to 48 hours of the event. Reaching out the day-of can come across a bit strong (or worse, desperate), but if you wait too long, you risk being forgotten (or seeming disinterested). If your recruiter doesn’t respond quickly, don’t take it personally: They’re likely to be flooded with emails following an event. 

An email template:

Dear [Name],

I hope your week is going well. I really enjoyed speaking with you at [name of fair] on [day the fair took place] about [specific conversation detail].  [Detail that connects you to recruiter or company].

I want to reassert my interest in joining the [Name of company] team. The position of [position] sounds like an ideal fit for me based on [specific qualification]. I support [Name of company]’s mission of [specific detail] and have also committed to the cause by [specific action].

Please find a digital copy of my resume attached. Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you in the future.

All the best,

[First Name Last Name]

An example:

Dear Cassandra Smith,

I hope your week is going well. I really enjoyed speaking with you at the Women in Tech Career Fair on Thursday about your journey from the corporate world into the nonprofit sector.  It was really cool to learn that you also completed an internship at Tech Incorporated in college like I did last semester.

I want to reassert my interest in joining the Tech E team. The applications developer position sounds like an ideal fit for me based on my experience taking application development courses and my advanced coding skills. I support Tech E’s mission of creating less waste and have also committed to the cause by attending the Make Tech Green Conference for three years straight.

Please find a digital copy of my resume attached. Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you in the future.

All the best,

Ann Jones

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Kayla Heisler is a New York City-based writer who runs the newsletter totally recc’d.