Follow Up

After making new connections, follow up with a personalized message. Mention something specific from your conversation to show you were genuinely interested. This step is crucial in building and maintaining professional relationships.

After making new connections, follow up with a personalized message. Mention something specific from your conversation to show you were genuinely interested. This step is crucial in building and maintaining professional relationships.

Empowered by Artificial Intelligence and the women in tech community.
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Rutika Bhoir
Grad Student at University of Massachusetts, Amherst

I’ll be honest—this part doesn’t come easy to me. After the emotional energy it takes to show up and connect, the idea of following up sometimes feels overwhelming. I overthink it: What if they don’t remember me? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I’m bothering them? But here’s what I’ve learned: a follow-up isn’t about impressing someone. It’s about remembering them. It’s about saying, “That moment we shared meant something to me.” And when it’s rooted in that kind of honesty, it doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be real. So I try to keep it simple. One line about what we talked about. A thank-you. A reflection. Sometimes it’s: “I really appreciated your thoughts on accessibility in design—it stayed with me.” Or: “I loved what you said about navigating tech as a first-gen student. I'd love to stay in touch.” When I frame it not as a performance, but as a quiet act of connection, it becomes less scary. And the truth is, most people do appreciate being remembered. It’s okay if it takes you a day or two. Or even longer. What matters is that you reach out at all. Because continuing the conversation—gently, thoughtfully—is how relationships start to grow roots.

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