Whether you attended a job fair or were at a personal event and made contact with a lead, the question is: what’s next? You have to follow up to keep the ball rolling. This can be stressful, though, and requires a careful approach to make a positive impression. If you have a job lead and are wondering what to do next, here are 4 tips to help you:
Reach out within 24-48 hours.
You want the person to remember you, so reach out within a day or two. Don’t let a week or more pass by, and then send a message. The lead is cold at this point, and they might be left trying to remember who you are.
Customize your message.
When you’re following up with potential job leads, don’t copy and paste the same message again and again. Be sure to customize what you say, including mentioning where you met and what kind of role you’re interested in. This will get the relationship off to a stronger start, so you can have more productive and authentic conversation moving forward.
Schedule a meeting.
When you follow up, discuss the next steps. You can simply say something like:
“It was great meeting you at the business mixer last night! I can’t believe we both went to the same school at the same time and never met. Anyway, let’s set up a time to talk about the opportunity you mentioned. Does Monday or Tuesday next week work for you?”
Send an invite on LinkedIn too.
LinkedIn is another great way to follow up, and it should also be with a customized message – not the generic automated one. Remember, you’re trying to make a great impression, and every point of contact counts. So send an invitation that is compelling and captures their attention.
Getting job leads is only half the battle. You have to actually follow up on them to potentially land a new job. With the tips above, though, it’s a little easier, so you can explore each one and find the right fit.
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