You decided to attend a networking/recruitment event. At the event you got over your fear of talking to strangers in really expensive business suits. For one reason or another (happy, excited and with big dreams), you managed to impress one of those suit-wearing elders enough that they give you their business card.

This awe-inspiring business card holds their office number, their email, and above all their mobile number.

Now that you have received the business card, of course you would like to contact them. However, before you dial those number or type in those letters, you must do several things.

Intention

What is your intent for wanting to get in contact with an individual?

Most of you reading this will probably be students at a tertiary level. At this point the most important thing to you is advice, someone who can helpyou, someone who can mentor you in your chosen field.

Figure out exactly what you want before you contact them. The worst possible thing you can do is get in contact with them and you have nothing to say.

Drop them an email or give them a call. Invite them for a coffee so that the two of you can discuss what kind of help you need. Be truthful, be polite.

So, you finalised your intent, you decide to invite them for coffee, a face-to-face meeting at their office, whatever form of meeting you set up. You then choose one of the following approaches:

1. Call them at the office number
2. Email them
3. Call them on their mobile

And then you settle in and wait. If you are lucky they call you back and accept your offer of meeting/coffee. Unfortunately more often than not you will not hear back from them.

You are disappointed, you stress, and you wonder why they are not getting back to you. Well, this may be due to a few reasons.

Reasons for lack of communication

Email communication

There may be several reasons as to why there was no reply to your email.

• Subject Line: A proper ‘subject line’ will mean your email will not be deleted before reading. Improper subject line (or lack of one) can easily lead to the assumption of your email being spam.
• Phrasing of email:
  • Were you comprehensive?
  • Were you polite?
  • Did you use proper grammar?
  • Were you professional?
  • Did you remind the person where you met them?

Phone communication

• Did you leave your contact details?
• Did you explain your intent and reason for calling?
• Were you polite?

Any of the above could have been why there was no response for your effort. Of course none of the above can guarantee you a face-to-face meeting; however, it can only help.

Author: Shan Shan Li

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