Learn How To Succeed At Career Fairs

Home
>
Careers, Jobs & Employment
>
Learn How To Succeed At Career Fairs

Learn How To Succeed At Career Fairs

This career article will give you some great tips on successfully navigating thru career fairs.

This issue will quickly cover the following:

A) Purpose of Career Fairs

B) How To Best Prepare

C) Tips & Strategies During The Fair

D) Career Fair Follow-Up

A) PURPOSE OF CAREER FAIRS

Career fairs are designed to provide job seekers a way to explore career opportunities within a variety of companies at one location.

Job seekers should take advantage of these fairs to be better informed about the job market. Career fairs must be a part of your overall job search process. It's a great way to learn about job openings, research companies and practice your interviewing and networking skills.

B) HOW TO BEST PREPARE
Its important to make the most of your time at career fairs. Therewill be many employers and even more job seekers vying for attention so its critical that you prepare in advance of setting foot into the career fair.

Here are 5 tips that can help you be well prepared:

#1 - PRIORITIZE
Find out what companies are going to be attending prior to the day of the career fair and identify and prioritize the top companies that youndefinitely want to visit.

#2 - RESEARCH
Spend a little time researching these companies; the more you know the better. Use the Internet, library, etc. Employers love talking to candidates who are familiar with their company and business. It also makes you look smart. Candidates who are knowledgeable about a company come across as intelligent and interested.

#3 - YOUR RESUME
Create and/or refine your resume and bring many, many clean, crisp copies to handout. This is very imporant!

#4 - APPROACH
Create a one-minute introduction that summarizes your skills, goals, experience, etc. Practice this until you are comfortable using this as your opening. The career fair will present many mini interviews and you need to be prepared for this. Anticipate interview questions and practice your responses.

#5 - APPEARANCE
Dress professionally ? don't wear shorts and sandals. Use good judgement in what you wear and project professionalism. Bring a nice folder to carry your resumes and a notepad and pen for taking notes.

C) TIPS & STRATEGIES DURING THE FAIR
Follow these tips below and you are on your way to a more productive career fair.

- Relax and plan on spending time at the fair. Career fairs are not that frequent so plan your time well. Try to avoid standing in long lines. Go early if possible because the first hour is usually the slowest.

- Always request business cards or at least get an email address so that you can follow-up and pursue leads.

- When you get to actually talk to a company representative ? remember to shake hands firmly and introduce yourself. This is your chance to make the best first impression.

- Be mentally prepared with a list of question to keep the conversation flowing. Ask about the company, the industry, what job opportunities exist, etc. Always try to relate your skills and experience to the company or jobs that may be open at the company.

- Visit companies outside your industry. You will be surprised at how many companies hire in all types of professions (ie. hospitals, banks, etc.)

- Visit your lower priority companies first. This way you can practice and fine tune your approach. When you are ready, then proceed to the top priority employers on your list.

- Network! Talk to both employers and other job candidates. If youare standing in line, don't be shy talk to the people in line. More jobs are filled by networking than any other means.

- Conduct yourself with a professional manner at all times. Employers are watching at all times. So when you are walking around or waiting in line, always maintain professionalism.

- Be aware of time. Don't stand and monopolize an employer's time. Its not good for them or for you. Ask specific questions, get to the point and most importantly get the contact information for later follow-up.

D) CAREER FAIR FOLLOW-UP
Its important to keep yourself fresh in the mind of the employers.To do this, you must send follow-up or thank you letters within two days. Always refer to the date and location of the job fair. Try and highlight any part of the conversation that stood out to make it easy for them to remember you. Always include a copy of your resume. You might also want to follow-up with a phone call.

Also its important to re-group after a career fair and evaluate your experience. Try and understand what you did right and what can be improved upon, as this will help you be more productive at the next fair.

Most importantly, just have a very positive attitude. Always have a smile and thank each person you speak to for his/her time. You have something to sell and employers are there to shop around, and vice versa.

This article can also be read directly online at: http://www.worktree.com/newslett er/career-and-job-fairs.html

Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger,
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com
"Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"

Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com. Nathan has over 10 years experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Democrats: Obama needs hands-on economic approach (AP)

AP - Democrats are growing impatient with President-elect Barack Obama's refusal to inject himself in the major economic crises confronting the country. Obama has sidestepped some policy questions by saying there is only one president at a time. But the dodge is wearing thin. "He's going to have to be more assertive than he's been," House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., told consumer advocates Thursday.

India names Pakistani masterminds, date plot to 07 (AP)

AP - A Pakistani militant group apparently used an Indian operative as far back as 2007 to scout targets for the elaborate plot against India's financial capital, authorities said Thursday, a blow to Indian officials who have blamed the deadly attacks entirely on Pakistani extremists.

Carmakers' bailout pleas hit Senate skepticism (AP)

AP - Desperate U.S. automakers ran into fresh obstacles from skeptical lawmakers Thursday as they appealed with rising urgency Â— and a new dose of humility Â— for a $34 billion bailout. Without help, said one senator, "we're looking at a death sentence."

US mulls unusual tactic as Blackwater charges loom (AP)

AP - Blackwater Worldwide guards involved in the deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting of Iraqi civilians could face mandatory 30-year prison sentences under an aggressive anti-drug law being considered as the Justice Department readies indictments, people close to the case said.

Hillary Clinton scrambles to reduce massive campaign debt (AP)

AP - With just weeks before President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in, his choice for secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is scrambling to reduce massive campaign debt before federal ethics rules prohibit her from doing so.

Woman swept to sea during proposal on Oregon coast (AP)

AP - A romantic marriage proposal on the Oregon coast turned deadly for the bride-to-be when a wave swept her out to sea. Scott Napper had taken 22-year-old Leafil Alforque to Proposal Rock near Neskowin Beach to pop the question at a place that got its name from couples ready to marry. Napper and Alforque had been dating since they met on the Internet in 2005.

Study suggests good cheer may spread itself (AP)

AP - When you're smiling, the whole world really does smile with you. A paper being published Friday in a British medical journal concludes that happiness is contagious Â— and that people pass on their good cheer even to total strangers. American researchers who tracked more than 4,700 people in Framingham, Mass., as part of a 20-year heart study also found the transferred happiness is good for up to a year.

Ex-'CHiPs' star Estrada to patrol with Ind. police (AP)

AP - Erik Estrada has returned to Muncie to take part in overnight police patrols in the city where he starred in the short-lived reality series "Armed & Famous." The former star of the 1970s motorcycle cop drama "CHiPs" is a reserve officer on the Muncie Police Department.

Man allegedly attacks speed camera with pickax (AP)

AP - A 26-year-old man faces criminal charges after being accused of using a pickax to attack a speed enforcement camera recently installed along a Phoenix-area freeway.

Pierce to talk to authorities Friday about Burress (AP)

AP - Antonio Pierce and the doctor who treated his New York Giants teammate Plaxico Burress after he accidentally shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub will talk to investigators Friday.

Senators grill auto CEOs, eye GM-Chrysler deal (Reuters)

Reuters - The chief executives of General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC said they would consider restarting merger talks if needed to win their slice of up to $34 billion in emergency U.S. government aid.

AT&T cuts 12,000 jobs (Reuters)

Reuters - Top U.S. phone company AT&T Inc said it will eliminate 12,000 jobs, or about 4 percent of its workforce, in a fresh wave of cuts to cope with an economic downturn that has exacerbated a decline in traditional phone sales.

Europeans cut interest rates sharply to fight crisis (Reuters)

Reuters - Central banks in Europe slashed their benchmark interest rates by record amounts on Thursday to fight the global economic crisis, while U.S. automakers pleaded for a bailout to avoid collapse.

Pakistan vows to hunt Mumbai attack plotters (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday Pakistan had given assurances of its commitment to root out terrorism and round up anyone connected to last week's attack in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Iraq Presidency Council approves U.S. troop pact (Reuters)

Reuters - Iraq's Presidency Council has approved a security pact with the United States that paves the way for a complete U.S. troop pullout by the end of 2011, a spokesman for the council said on Thursday.

Russia's Putin makes warm overtures to Obama (Reuters)

Reuters - The United States will quickly feel a change in attitude from Moscow if President-elect Barack Obama transforms Washington's policies toward Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Thai king ill, misses much-anticipated speech (Reuters)

Reuters - Thailand's revered and influential king missed his traditional birthday eve address due to illness on Thursday, a speech many Thais had hoped would provide short-term relief to the country's intractable political crisis.

Arab-American hate crimes down since 9/11 (Reuters)

Reuters - Hate crimes against Arab Americans have decreased steadily since the September 11 attacks but are still more common than they were before the hijackings, a civil rights group said on Thursday.

European central banks slash interest rates to tackle recession (AFP)

AFP - Leading European central banks took historic action Thursday to ward off spreading recessions, slashing their key lending rates to boost businesses and consumers.

Bombers hit Fallujah as Iraq-U.S. pact endorsed (AFP)

AFP - Car bombers killed at least 15 people in a former rebel bastion on Thursday as Iraq's security pact with Washington won final approval before its launch at the end of the month.

Learn How To Succeed At Career Fairs

Careers, Jobs & Employment Careers, Jobs & Employment