How to Follow Up After a Meeting

Meetings occur in many aspects of business. Job interviews, sales presentations and co-workers meeting about a special project may require follow-up afterward. The timing and form of the follow-up contact varies according to the nature of the meeting and the usual method of contact among the parties. Individuals who usually communicate by email on a daily basis, for example, might continue to do so as part of their meeting follow-up. Other situations might demand more formal follow-up etiquette.

Instructions

1. Send a thank-you note after meeting with a prospective employer, client, colleague or supervisor. Send the note within two business days of your meeting. While a typed letter or an email may be acceptable, a handwritten thank-you note is considered more personal.

2. Contact a prospective employer about 2 weeks after a job interview if you have not yet heard anything about the job prospect. If the employer requested that no follow-up calls be made, honor that request. Otherwise, a phone call or email is appropriate to inquire about your application. In your follow-up, identify yourself and the job title. Keep your follow-up contact brief and respectful. Use the opportunity to express your continued interest in the job and inquire about whether an employment decision has been made. Do not aggravate a prospective employer with repeated contact or by trying to force a decision.

3. Complete any tasks that were assigned at a business meeting and submit the finished work according to the instructions that you received. If you were responsible for keeping minutes of the meeting, submit the minutes to the other participants. Respond to requests for additional information and questions from others who attended the meeting.

4. Follow up a networking meeting by sending a note of appreciation to the individual whom you met and by establishing an online connection through a professional networking website. If you met with a sales customer, use a follow-up call or letter to find out whether he is satisfied with the product or has any questions about it. If you met with a career counselor, inform her of any recent changes in your employment and educational status and inquire about new job leads.

5. Follow up on business meetings, according to the nature of the meeting. For example, a meeting to discuss a business venture may require considerable follow-up communication to prepare a presentation to investors. A job evaluation meeting might require an employee to take specific actions to improve job performance. If you are unsure about what type of follow-up might be required, ask, in your initial meeting, how and when the other participants would like to be contacted.

References

• Virginia Tech, Career Services: After Interviews, Thank You Letters, Follow Up
• The Ohio State University, Leadership Center; Following Up After the Meeting; Garee Earnest and Christine Cugliari
• Columbia University Center for Career Education: Skills -- Networking and Informational Interviewing -- Follow-Up Letters
• California State University, Chico: Personal Selling and Sales Management