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You survived the career fair! You navigated the sea of suits, managed to perfect your elevator pitch and handed out more resumes than you can remember. Leaving the career fair is a relief yes and it’s completely natural to feel exhausted and to want to take a beat.
But going to the career fair itself is only half of the battle.
Attending a career fair is only the beginning of a multifold story. Making strong first impressions in-person is an essential part of networking, especially when recruiters meet hundreds of eager candidates in just a few hours. All of the conversations, LinkedIn connections and shared commonalities can quickly blur together once recruiters and employers return back to their regular scheduled routine and start sifting through their incurred stack of resumes.
This is precisely why those 24 to 48 hours right after the career fair are just as important if not more important than those first impressions you make at the event. A timely, thoughtful follow-up does three critical things it displays professionalism, demonstrated genuine interest in a company and in your career development, and puts your name at the top of mind while recruiters are recapping conversations that stood out to them.
If you want to turn those chats into job interviews and offer letters, here are a few ways to set yourself up for success after a career fair.
Promptly organize your notes
Before details begin to blur together, take inventory of all the information you gather and keep everything in one place. You’ll want to write down:
- The names and corresponding email addresses of recruiters you spoke with.
- Specific connecting details from your conversations (i.e., advice that stayed with you, a project you found interesting or shared hobbies).
- Any recommended action steps (i.e., apply on the internal company portal or follow the talent recruiter).
If you grab any business cards, take pictures of those to make sure you don’t lose their contact information.
Find and make connections on LinkedIn
You’ll want to send that personalized connection request within 24 to 48 hours of a career fair event. A custom invitation message helps recruiters remember your face and the conversation they shared with you amongst several pending invitations.
LinkedIn connection message template
- For free accounts there is a 200-character limit and 300 for premium accounts.
- Hi [Recruiter’s name]! Thank you for taking the time to speak with me at the [Name of the career fair] yesterday! I really enjoyed learning about [specific details]. I’d love to stay connected as I explore opportunities with [Company name]. Best, [Your name].
Send follow-up emails
If recruiters or employers give you their direct email and contact information, send a short thank you email. This shows them that you are intentional and genuinely vested in the connection you built with them. In this email, keep the messaging professional, concise and focused on showing your interest in them, their company and their work.
Email template
Subject: Following up, [Name] from [Name of career fair]
Dear [Recruiter Name],
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me at the [Name of career fair] on [Day of week]! I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about [Company name] and the [Name of position/program] role.
Our conversation about [Mention a specific topic or detail that you discussed] helped to reinforce my interest in joining your team.
As you suggested, I submitted my application via [Company portal/Handshake] and attached my resume here for your reference.
Please let me know if you need any additional information. I look forward to keeping in touch!
Best,
[Your name]
Apply to open roles
If a recruiter or employer suggested that you apply online, do it as soon as you can. The faster your application comes in, the more time they’ll have to recognize your name in a stack. Recruiters will often cross-reference career fair attendees with their applicant pool shortly after the event.
- Always double-check your resume and application materials to ensure you’ve submitted updated information.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to match the specific role requirements.
- In your cover letter or in the “how did you hear about us” section mention that you spoke with [Recruiter’s Name] at the [Name of Career Fair].
Keep track of your responses
Creating a simple spreadsheet or easy to read tracking sheet will allow you to keep up with:
- Company names
- Recruiters contact information
- The dates you initially followed up
- Your pending application status
- Any notes you have on your next action steps
If you haven’t heard back from a recruiter for several days to a week, it is appropriate to then send a polite follow-up email checking in with them again.
By Raigan Clay