Easy Career Fair Follow Up Email Templates

Follow ups are as important as first impressions.

Career fairs can be overwhelming cluster-f*cks, but if you play your cards right at a job fair, you will walk away with a real chance at finding a job you love.

The secret? Follow up. While everyone remembers to bring a resume and business card, very few people follow up with the recruiters they met. This is especially important now that networking events have gone virtual and it's harder to make a personal connection, let alone a lasting impression.

So how do you to it?

Get the Recruiter's Contact Information

Sometimes, this will be provided during the hiring fair: you can pick up a business card in person. In a virtual environment, however, you might be out of luck. Here are our tips on how to source an email address:

1. Look through the follow up emails sent from job fair organizers
2. Find the recruiter on LinkedIn
3. Look for the recruiter using lead research tools like Clearbit

Once you have their contact info, you can move onto the next step: reaching out.

When Should You Reach Out?

Understandably, recruiters drown in emails after a job fair, and it only gets worse as the application deadline draws near. Speed is key here, lest your email ends up at the bottom of their inbox.

Our recommendations:

• Follow up immediately: no longer than 24 hours.
• For an extra advantage, have an email template ready to go. Follow up WHILE the career fair is happening, if it's virtual.
• Be prepared to wait. Recruiters get busy and may take up to a week to get back to you.
• But don't wait too long. Politely follow up in 2-3 days to keep yourself top of the inbox.

How to Make a Lasting Impression

Writing a well-crafted career fair follow up email will move you to the front of the line for a job interview. But how do you write an email that makes you stand out to the recruiter?

Career coaches recommend you keep it simple:

1. Create a catchy subject line to get the recruiter's attention
2. Briefly tell them why this is your dream company
3. Reference an open role you like
4. Close out the right way: with a "Thank you" 
5. Of course, don't forget to send your resume and your complete contact information

Here are a few points that warrant further advice...

Keep it simple with your subject line

Harsh truth: just because you wrote an email doesn't mean they're going to open it. This is especially true if the recruiter gets overwhelmed with demand.

Some examples:

“Interested in X role [Career Fair Name]”

“Virtual Career Fair Opportunity with [Company Name]”

“Loved meeting you at [Career Fair Name]”

“Continuing our conversation from [Career Fair]”

Don't make the email a cover letter

The career fair follow up email should be short and sweet. Think of it as more of a thank you email than a cover letter. Writing an email like this is meant to re-affirm your interest in the company and help get you in touch with the hiring manager, not tell your life story. Stay to the point to keep the process moving. 

• Open the email with "Hello [Recruiter Name]"
• Be specific about which open role you're interested in and why you're qualified
• Make a specific ask to be included in the hiring process
• Ask for a time to connect about the role - and be specific - "next week" is to vague

Show gratitude (but not too much)

Career coaches recommend show gratitude for the recruiter's time and effort in the follow-up email, as this helps make a better impression, and ultimately build a personal connection. Don't skip on this step!

Be polite in your email but don't over-do it. Thanking them once is enough and you definitely want to be careful to not come across as overly-grateful (that can translate to being seen as overly- desperate). A great place to include this is both in your email subject line and in your closing.

Some examples:

“It was a pleasure to speak with you at [Career Fair ]”

“I was very much obliged to meet you at [Job Fair]”

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me at [Career Fair], and I am looking forward to connecting with you on what open roles would be a fit.”

Follow-up Email Templates

Here are a few email templates to have in your back pocket. Keep them handy during the job fair so you can quickly follow up afterwards and have a leg up in your job search.

And remember: always attach your resume or portfolio!

Loved Meeting you at [Career Fair Name]

Hello [Recruiter],

Loved meeting you at [Job Fair] today. I took a quick look at your open roles and I'm very interested in [Role Name]. I am currently [describe why you're a fit] and I am very interested in exploring this further. Would love to connect with the hiring manager for the role, if you think I'd be a good fit.

Thank you for your help,

[Your Name]

Touching base after [Job Fair]

Hello [Recruiter],

We spoke yesterday at the career fair at [Company Name]. I was thrilled to learn you have open roles in engineering. [Company name] has been my dream company for awhile and I think I'm a very strong fit for your team because [talk about your interest or qualifications].

I really appreciate the 1:1 time you spent with me during the event, especially seeing how many job seekers there were. I look forward to connecting soon! My information is attached.

Best,

[Your Name]

👉 Next: How to find the right hiring manager to email