Career fairs are awkward. Gather a bunch of companies in a room, sprinkle in some job seekers, and compete to get noticed and hired. No pressure, right?
But career fairs provide more than new job opportunities: they can give you new contacts, build your professional skills without having to apply to dozens of new jobs and serve as practice for other job-related settings.
Even if you don’t get hired, career fairs help you leverage your skills toward better prospects.Are you a first-timer to career fairs? A seasoned pro? Either way, these tips will prepare you for success:
Prepare Yourself
• If possible, pre-register for the event. You might get the chance to show your resume to prospective employers ahead of time, who will screen applicants and flag potential hires. Pre-registration doesn’t guarantee a spot on their wish list, but it will widen your exposure.
• Research the companies in attendance. Job fairs are inundated with brochures and literature—you might feel overwhelmed or waste time on less-attractive prospects if you don’t research in advance. Spend extra time on companies you want to impress the most.
• Bring LOTS of resumes—like, twice as many as you think you’ll need. Make sure each one looks pristine: no errors, no outdated contact information, no coffee rings. Employers may refuse your resume altogether and tell you to apply online, but prepare yourself anyway.
• Look the part. Go for business casual: slacks with collared shirts for guys, and slacks or skirts with blouses for ladies. If your handshake feels like a dead fish, tighten it up.
• Practice your elevator speech. Businesses expect cold pitches in this setting. Develop a one-minute speech with a rundown of goals, experience and what you can offer the company.
• Get a game plan. Decide which companies you will target (you may want to visit twice!) and how you will navigate the fair as a whole. Wandering aimlessly will only waste your time.
Work the Room
• If you go with friends, don’t cling. Make a deliberate effort to branch out and speak to new people.
• Ask the right questions. If you researched companies well, you won’t waste time asking basic questions—probe for new information that you couldn’t find in advance.
• Convey confidence. Use lots of eye contact, keep your arms at your sides and stand up straight. Show your personality and talk to recruiters as if you’re passionate about your work—because you are, right?
• Talk to other job seekers. They might know about other leads or provide insight on companies you haven’t met yet.
• Show off work samples if you can. Not every employer has time to view your portfolio, but those who do will get a more complete picture of your experience and abilities.
Follow Up
• If you connected well with a recruiter, ask for a business card. Make sure you have a place to keep them organized!
• Thank everyone you met. Either send thank you cards in the mail right away, or follow up with phone calls or emails within 24 hours. After visiting with hundreds of candidates, recruiters may not remember you—one last message to them will help you stand out.
Have you attended a career fair before? How did you approach it?
(Feature Image via Metro News)
Amanda Suazo specializes in career, health, office, and millennial topics as a freelance writer. She’s a born-and-raised Californian (but a wannabe Washingtonian), straight espresso drinker, bacon enthusiast, and MBA student. Her new site grad-girl.com, launched in April 2014. Follow Amanda on Twitter, @suazgirl!