Erin Nemeth

Did you hit it off with a professor, boss or professional this year? Congrats! That means you’ve already made the first step towards developing a professional relationship that will help you in the future. Now, the next (and most important) step is maintaining those relationships—ones you formed with professors, an internship supervisor, the other interns in the office, professionals you met at a conference. You should never underestimate the importance of staying in touch with these people, because you never know where your connection will lead you in the future. The easiest way to make sure these new connections don’t forget about you after the semester is over is to simply keep in touch. Keeping in touch isn’t hard—ask anybody who uses email or social media. That’s the whole point of these tools of communication! As long as you know which communication tools to use and how to use them appropriately, you’ll be golden. Here are the top three ways to keep in touch:

Communication Tool #1: Email

Email is the most efficient way to stay in touch with people; these days, busy lifestyles mean less time to sit down for casual chats. Sending a quick email to touch base, ask for advice, or mention a relevant article is all it takes. The key is not to turn these emails into essays; mention briefly what you’re up to, but keep it short and sweet.