Whether it is in the Business Building Atrium or in the Bryce Jordan Center, every business student ends up attending at least one career fair at Penn State. More likely than not, students will go to an employer’s table and converse with a representative recruiting on the company’s behalf. Hopefully, you will receive the recruiters contact information for you to reach out to them if you have any further questions about their company or the internship/job you desire to obtain.
If you do not get their contact information, then that is okay. By downloading and using the Fairs&Events app, you can access the list of employees’ that were present at the career fair you attended.
After you leave the career fair, try to live by a “24-hour rule” after talking to recruiters. Meaning, I will reach out to them within 24-hours following our conversation via email. If the recruiter provided another preferred method to contact them, then use their preference. The reasoning behind the 24-hour rule is that your face and conversation will be more “fresh” in the mind of the recruiter within a 24-hour time period following the discussion. The rule goes for searching the recruiter on LinkedIn.
When reaching out to them via email, show creativity in the subject line. You need to remember that you won’t be the only person reaching out your intended recipient; therefore, using a subject line such as “Career Fair Follow-up” will most likely be deleted out of the recruiter’s inbox. The creativity should briefly display the authenticity of your conversation that occurred. In the message itself, you want to mention or summarize the conversation by using memorable terminology or a mutual interest in, or out, of the work environment.
After the initial contact, do not worry if they do not reply. Some companies have a policy where their employees cannot reply to your emails during the recruiting process. To enhance your connection with the recruiter and the company, consider attending an information session or private recruiting event hosted by them. When attending, email that employee again to ask if they will be in attendance. They could reply informing you that they will not be attending, but point you in the direction of someone for you to mingle with for the time being.
Lastly, be sure to email the employer’s over the holidays. It shows that you not only genuinely care about them, but want to continue to build on your mutual relationship. Sending an email wishing them a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year will go a long way.
