Making The Most Of A Job Fair

A career fair is a great opportunity to make face-to-face contact with recruiters and hiring managers that you can't usually get. This article is dedicated to helping you prepare for and make the most of your next career fair experience. BEFORE THE CAREER FAIR The first step to getting ready for your next career fair is getting your résumé ready. Think of your résumé as your paper calling card to leave behind with the recruiter. What is your résumé saying about you when you are gone? A résumé can not get you a job, but it can certainly prevent you from getting the opportunity to even interview for that job! Some recruiters may ask you to submit your résumé online when you get home. Make sure you have an internet ready résumé to send when you get home. The next step is to find out what companies are going to be attending the career fair. Check with the organizer of the career fair to find out who the attendees will be. Many career fair sponsors allow you to pre-register for the career fair, this will often allow you to submit your résumé or contact information to the attending companies in advance of the career fair. Next, research these companies to see what openings they have. A restaurant chain with a booth at the career fair may be hiring much more than waitresses and busboys; they may have accounting or information technology support positions. Don't count out a company without doing your research first. Once you have done your research, pick 3 to 5 target companies and write a targeted résumé and cover letter for each of these companies and the job openings they are offering. Prepare your self-introduction that you will go through as an ice-breaker when you meet each of the recruiters. Think of this as your 30-second commercial that introduces your background and experience, your skills, abilities and accomplishments and demonstrates how you can benefit their company. Get ready to have a mini-interview with some employers. Prepare intelligent questions you can ask the recruiters about their company and their job openings. Instead of walking up to a booth and asking "What does your company do?" make an impression by demonstrating your knowledge of what the company does and how your skills would benefit their organization. THE DAY OF THE CAREER FAIR Be sure to bring plenty of copies of your résumé to hand out to potential employers. When you walk in the door, develop a "plan of attack" to meet the recruiters of your target companies. Hit your target companies first and then walk the career fair to ensure that you don't miss employers that may not have been listed. Be respectful of the recruiters' time, don't be rude and try to monopolize their time and attention. Prepare yourself for the fact that some companies may have a waiting line to meet with the recruiter. A career fair provides a recruiter with an endless stream of potential candidates. However, you can create a positive first impression and stand out from the crowd. First and foremost, dress to impress. Leave the shorts, t-shirt and the kids at home. Dress as though you were going for a job interview - you might just get one. Use non-verbal communication, body language and appearance to create an impression of confidence and enthusiasm. Come prepared - research the company and think of some selling points of how your skills can be useful to their company. Speak intelligently and maximize the short time you will get to spend with that recruiter. Don't forget to use the career fair as a networking opportunity. Talk with your fellow career fair attendees. Trade business cards, résumés or even just phone numbers. You never know who you might meet and how they may be able to help you in your career search. AFTER THE CAREER FAIR Before leaving the career fair for the day, visit your "target" companies' recruiters to thank them for their time, reiterate your interest in their company and make a strong impression. The most overlooked part of the career fair is the follow-up. Within a week after the career fair, send a short handwritten thank you note or even just a phone call expressing your appreciation for the recruiter's time and asking for an opportunity to meet in person to further discuss your qualifications. Last but not least, send your résumé and cover letter to those target companies that were not accepting résumés at the career fair. Gather business cards at the career fair so you can address your cover letter to a specific person whenever possible. Follow-up by phone within a week of sending your résumé to ensure they received it and express interest in meeting for an interview. Don't let this golden opportunity pass you by. Make the most of your chance to make personal contact with these hard-to-reach hiring professionals. Make an impression with your handshake, eye contact, preparation, selling your skills and most importantly the résumé you leave behind. If you need assistance in creating an effective résumé, give us a call or attend one of our job-seeking skills workshops at the Job Examiner Career Fair. At Get Results Career Services we specialize in helping people transform their résumé into a marketing tool that will get them the results they desire - more interviews GUARANTEED! We offer a fast turnaround time and very affordable rates. To get a free assessment of your needs and discuss pricing for your résumé, please contact: Lori Norris Get Results Career Services, LLC 623.935.1525 Visit us on the internet: www.getresultsresumes.com E-mail: lori@getresultsresumes.com