The career fair is over, phew! You networked like crazy and got the business cards from representatives of a few companies you’d love to work for.

Your work isn’t done yet. Following up via email with your career fair contacts - ideally within 48 hours - is the next step. This will help them remember who you are and your interest in the company plus open the door to building a professional relationship.

Writing a follow up email after a career fair isn’t hard - let’s break it down.

First things first, the subject line. Mention the career fair in the subject line so they know immediately why you’re contacting them.

Start the email by thanking them for their time and reference the conversation you had at the career fair. Mention specifics of the conversation so they can hone in on who you are.

Short emails are best. Keep it around 1-3 paragraphs and be specific about why you’d like to chat further with them. Include a call to action by suggesting a coffee or phone call.

Personalizing emails also shows you’re not just sending a generic email blast out to everyone you met at the career fair.

Be sure to follow the organization on LinkedIn and send a LinkedIn request to your contact.

Don’t underestimate the power of a simple follow up email! It might land you an interview for your dream job and establish professional connections that could be valuable for years to come.

Following up after a career fair means the effort you put into attending it actually pays off.