Colin's Column: Follow Up!

I cannot stress enough how important following up is. In a professional or personal setting, following up is the single most important thing we can do and have absolute control over. In a world dominated by access to constant communication and information, it seems as though we find more ways than ever before to ignore people.

There are legitimate reasons why people decide not to respond to a particular inquiry. We constantly get blasted with mass emails, spam calls, and LinkedIn sales pitches before we’ve even had the chance to establish a human connection with anyone. This drives me crazy! I’m sure it drives you nuts, too. As a result, our guard is up and we don’t give anyone a chance to really connect with us.

It’s tough to strike a balance between spam and things we really don’t care about versus honest people reaching out that may be able to help us in the future. They may be able to help you right now. You may be able to help them. If we just take thirty seconds to respond back, even if it’s simply “Thanks, but no thanks” you are already doing infinitely more than the majority of people that surround you on a daily basis. That effort can stand out.

Following up with someone is another way of saying you’ve made a connection. It’s true you don’t need to connect with everyone, but taking the time to assess those people that are important to connect with versus those that don’t matter can help you differentiate and use your time networking more wisely. When you follow up with someone you open up a door of possibilities you don’t even know exist.

I’ll give you an actual example: about four years ago I was interviewing for a job and finished runner-up. I was upset, but I knew I had made a good connection with the hiring manager so I decided to send a personalized thank you and follow up versus just ignoring the situation and moving on. It was a quick email - maybe four sentences total - but I reiterate my appreciation for giving me the opportunity and wished them all the best of luck. Simple and effective. About three months later I received a text from the hiring manager asking me if I was still on the market. The company had grown, opened up a new role, and I was the first person they thought of. I was offered the job “on the spot” and I truly believe it was simply because I took the time to send a thirty-second email. I kid you not, even four years later, and more than three years after we last worked together, that same hiring manager has reached out to me periodically offering me connections for different jobs and opportunities. Thirty seconds gave me a lifelong professional connection that has been so valuable to my career.

I’m sure you have your own stories of a time where a follow up turned into something more than it initially seemed to be. That’s the power of networking! We all want to help each other, and given the opportunity, most people will lend a helping hand if they are in a position to do so.

I know it may sound silly but think hard about taking thirty seconds to follow up with one person today. Then do it again tomorrow. And do it for a week. Evaluate what has happened and the responses you’ve gotten. I guarantee if you make it a regular exercise that you will constantly find yourself being in a position to be helped and/or help others. And that’s exactly the position you should always want to put yourself into.

Don’t ignore people. Engage with them! You never know what might be right around the corner.