Skills - Networking & Informational Interviewing - Follow-Up Letters
Printer-friendly versionFollow-up letters are usually sent for two reasons: first, follow-up letters serve as an opportunity for additional contact after an initial meeting, career fair, or networking meeting; second, follow-up letters can effectively revive a job search by reconnecting a contact with whom you have not spoken in a while.Follow-up letters are different than thank you letters. The purpose of thank you letters is to thank someone for meeting with you and to reaffirm your interest in the position or industry at hand. Thank you letters are, in turn, sent immediately. A follow-up letter is sent several weeks after sending a thank you letter in order to touch base once again with your contact and to reintroduce yourself. A follow-up letter provides you with the opportunity to restate your interest and to check for new job leads or information. Another type of follow-up letter may be sent after submitting your resume and cover letter. If after several weeks, you have not heard from the employer, you should send a follow-up letter to reemphasize your interest in the company and the position.
Follow-up letters can be sent by post or email. You should make your letter as formal or as informal as your relationship with the contact dictates. Use previous forms of communication with the employers as indicators.
Follow-up Letter Guide
A follow-up letter should let the reader know the following:- That you appreciated your initial meeting
- Where you stand in your current job search
- Anything relevant that has occurred between the initial meeting and now (e.g., if you have graduated, if you have reached out to any specific contacts, etc.)
- What type of help you now need (e.g., additional contact names, job leads, etc.)
Follow-up Letter Examples
The following example is only a guide to give you an idea of what to include in your letter. Do not copy this letter directly. We suggest that you write the first draft of your follow-up letter without using the sample to guide you. The most important quality you can convey in follow-up letter is enthusiasm and this must be done in your own style.
Sample Follow-up Letter: After a Career Fair |
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Sheila Davis
123 Lerner Hall, Columbia University New York, NY 10027 (212) 854-1234 xyz@columbia.edu
Dr. Susan Johnson
May 3, 2009
Dear Ms. Johnson, Sincerely, Sheila Davis |
Sample Follow-up Letter: Networking |
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Ben Adams
123 Lerner Hall, Columbia University New York, NY 10027 (212) 854-1234 xyz@columbia.edu
Mr. Michael Smith
May 3, 2009
Dear Michael, Sincerely, Ben Adams
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