Many of our Alumni members have been curious as to how to reconnect with their previous internship supervisor or their mentor. We understand it may feel awkward reaching out if you haven’t emailed them for months, years, or since you left your First Workings experience with them. It is always a wonderful time to reconnect and don’t put it off for much longer!
Look them up on LinkedIn
Research where your connection is now. If they moved to a different company or have a new role, this is an important personalized piece to include in your message. A congratulations goes a long way! Show that you care by doing your research.
Choose the right method of communication
- LinkedIn: a great option if you no longer have your contacts’ email address
- Emaill: If you already have their email address, email them directly with this professional method
Your message
The two most important points to include are to write about what you’ve been up to and show sincere interest in the individual. Professionals are interested in hearing about your college and career journey. Additionally, professionals are more likely to respond if you ask how they are doing. Your message should be short and sweet updating them on your college experience, internships, career opportunities, or how you’ve been doing (especially during the pandemic). Great questions to ask right now include:
- How has your work changed over the past 8 months?
- How did your company respond to COVID?
- How are your family and loved ones doing during the pandemic?
- What projects are you looking forward to the next few months?
Embrace the “awkwardness”
If it’s been five years since you’ve spoken to the person, don’t pretend like you’re best friends, says Michelle Tillis Lederman, author of Nail The Interview, Land The Job. Simply state the radio silence (“I know it’s been a while”) but don’t spend too much time speaking about this. People are happy to reconnect with others, especially young people early on in their careers.
Offer to meet virtually!
To really rebuild and maintain the connection, set up a time to meet virtually. Towards the end of your email mention that you would love to meet virtually in order to learn more about what THEY are up to. This is a great opporuntiny for you to practice these virtual professional skills.
Respond Quickly
Once you receive a response, make sure you respond within 48 hours to keep the connection alive!