By MOAA Staff

If you have recently attended a job fair, networking forum, or similar professional event, congratulations: You've taken an important (and necessary) step on your career path ... and you've likely taken home some business cards.  

Now comes the most important part: Following up.

Consider these points as you continue your self-marketing campaign after making an initial connection with a potential employer.

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How to Say Thanks

Always follow-up with a thank-you note. In most cases, an e-mail follow-up note is the most efficient way to accelerate your relationship with the talent acquisition team.

In addition to jogging the recruiter's memory, it's good business etiquette to follow up and say thanks to the people you meet in an organization during the job search and hiring process.

Well-written and personalized thank-you notes offer an opportunity for job candidates to reiterate their best qualities or to more thoroughly explain how their skills, experiences, education, and passion make you a good fit for a particular position. They also show a prospective employer how you would perform in a role requiring communication (and follow-up) skills.

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Consider attaching an updated copy of your résumé that is tailored to the industry and targeted toward the specific requirements of the position.

In addition to the qualifications emphasized by the recruiter, look for current employees of the target company on LinkedIn who are working in similar roles. Borrow keywords and phrasing from their materials to ensure your résumé captures some of the subtleties of the company culture.

Think of the thank-you note as a strong tool to foster your relationship with the talent acquisition team, highlight your best qualities, express gratitude for the opportunity to be considered, and add an exclamation point to your interest in the position.

Widen the Net

Can you expand on your networking-event links? Use the company search functionality on LinkedIn to identify connections in your network who are currently employed by your target company. These connections can build internal support for your candidacy and are essential to break you out from a herd of qualified applicants.

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Don't hesitate to reach out to these connections and make them aware of your interest in joining their team. Offer to send them a copy of your résumé and remind them you would appreciate any support they can lend to your candidacy.

A version of this article was originally published in 2016. Last update: Oct. 25, 2024.