Sending A Post-Career-Fair Thank You

by Kelly Giles

According to a UCS Career Fair document I received, we should send thank you notes to each representative we met at the fair. A personal letter sets you apart from the many other people who were at the fair.

Should your personal letter be handwritten or emailed? Here’s my take: if you really liked the company and would like to work there, follow up today with an email and get a handwritten note in the mail before the week is out. If the company was so-so and you don’t see yourself there, send a quick email too, just to keep the relationship going.

If you’re like me, you stress over what to write in a thank you note. You think back through the conversation, trying to pull out an example or a comment to reference. You worry over wording. (Or maybe that’s just me.) In any event, here and here are a few sample thank you notes I found. They’re specifically for thanking people you met at career fairs.

This article explains what the letter should accomplish—basically a statement of gratitude that restates some of your best attributes and says you’re interested in future possibilities. If you’re not interested in a working for the company, lay off reminding them about your skills. Just say it was nice to meet the person and you look forward to staying in touch.