The Art of the Follow-up
By Bhavin Shah
As important as it is to make those initial connections at that internship, that consulting gig, or that networking event, it’s even more important to follow up afterwards, to turn that connection into a relationship. “The magic of networking is transforming a contact into a mutually beneficial relationship. The only way that can be done is if you follow up with the person.” As with so many things in business and in life, there is an art to following up.
Following Up After the Networking Event
You should pat yourself on the back for finding the right event, following through and attending. “Now, it’s time to act. Take up your new connection’s offer to help. People attend events because they are social opportunities to meet new business connections, share their platform, and learn new things. The rules of dating do not apply. Don’t wait; follow-up promptly. Be persistent while also being respectful of your new connection’s time.” Use the Refresh Follow-up feature to remind yourself of things you talked about or a mutual interest that can keep you connected with the person.
Following Up After an Interview
The preparation for a job interview should have included your research on your potential hiring managers (thanks to your Refresh dossiers) as well as back channel information from people in your network who have info on the company (also easily found with Refresh). Check with the hiring manager at the end of the interview—normally they say they’ll get back to you in 1-2 weeks. If you still haven’t heard after a week or two, you can follow up with an email like the one in this article.
Refresh’s Follow-up feature can prompt you to send a link to an article or other item of interest that signals your continued interest in the company and the industry at large. Even if a job offer is not in the cards, this is an opportunity to stay on their radar.
Following Up After an Informational Interview
Informational interviews are low-stake ways to learn about jobs in industries that interest you, but where the skill sets may not exactly match yours. If you’re just starting out or switching gears in your career, an informational interview will better position you for your next career move. You can start by reaching out to friends who have contacts in the industry that interests you. From there you can set up an informal interview or a coffee date (you should pay using your Interesting People Fund).Don’t forget to thank them for their time and any specific advice or information they shared (Refresh Notes are a great way of remembering this).
“Your follow up communication is another opportunity to take things a step further by inquiring if you might do a… job shadow.” The perspective you’ll get from spending a day on the job with someone is without measure.
Following Up if You’re an Introvert
If you’re an introvert, it’s actually quite easy to reach outside your comfort zone and expand your network. “What technology does, really, is it allows us to connect with other people in less stimulating ways,” Email introductions are infinitely easier for introverts than picking up the phone, and “with the Internet, you can connect with hundreds, thousands, or millions of people without ever leaving the house.” Following up is easy, thanks to Refresh, which lets you ping your new online acquaintance with just a tap of the finger, referencing information that is both relevant and engaging.
Do you have a #followup success story? Tweet us @RefreshApp or send us your story to community@refresh.io and you may be featured in a a future blog post!
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