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How to Master the Art of Following Up

Published: Jan 03, 2017

 Interviewing       Job Search       Networking       
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Following up is an art. If done right, they'll never forget you.

From job hunting to networking, all of your hard work, in the end, comes down to the final move: the follow-up.

But what makes a follow-up effective? I argue knowing how to connect with whom is the best way to leave a meaningful impression. Here are a few strategies: 

For The Client, Give Them a Call

In Jim Domanski's article, 8 Essential Tips on How to Make a Perfect Follow-Up Call , the author suggests sending a reminder email one day before the scheduled phone call. Your e-mail should confirm the date and time of the appointment and then briefly list your agenda.

ScheduleOnce.com is a great tool that does this for you when you use it to schedule your meetings and phone calls.

Domanski also emphasizes the importance of calling on time, and having a solid opening statement that stands out from the rest:

"Introduce yourself using your full name. Then give your company name. Remind the client why you are calling; remind your client what prompted the follow-up call in the first place. This means going back to your initial cold call and reminding the client of the "pain" or the "gain" that was discussed or hinted at in your previous call."

After the Job Interview Send Snail Mail

Even with the speed of technology, don't overlook the snail-mail approach. The good old-fashioned "Thank You note" will always make the biggest impression. It makes you memorable and shows that you are dedicated and serious about the position. Just be sure to send it with enough time to arrive no later than one week after the interview.

When Sending Email Pay Attention to Language

PointDrive.com suggests in their article Ten Tips to Help You Nail Your Follow-Up Emails Every Time that language is key.

"Everyone follows up, but a small percentage actually follow-through; doing what they say they are going to do."

Consider using the phrase "follow through" to indicate that you're the kind of professional who finishes what they've started.

Offer to Meet Needs

If your new connection complained about struggling to find office space, be sure to remind them of your offer to connect them with the office broker you know still stands.

If they mentioned wanting to meet someone in the tech space and you know someone great, mention again that you would love to make that connection happen. Listen for needs you're uniquely positioned to help with, graciously offer that help.

This post was written by Michelle Rosinski. A version of itt previously appeared on Capitol Standard.

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