Employers use career fairs - both on and off campus - to promote their organizations, their employment and internship opportunities and to pre-screen applicants.
For students and alumni, the Career and Internship Fair is designed to help you begin to connect with potential employers and actively seek full-time jobs and internships. For those engaging in career exploration, recruiters can also be a great source of information about their industry and its career fields.
Career Development's fairs come in all shapes and sizes, from small community sponsored events to giant regional career expositions held at major convention centers.
Career Development's fairs consist of tables manned by recruiters and other representatives from each organization. For on-campus events, some employers also send alumni representatives. Large corporations and some government agencies have staff dedicated to working the career fair "circuit" nationwide.
An individual employer's display area is also subject to wide variance. It could be a simple table with a stack of brochures and business cards, have a lone company representative, or have an elaborate multimedia extravaganza with interactive displays, videos, posters and a team of recruiters.
Know yourself: What are your skills, strengths, interests, and values. Try to identify specific experiences where you have demonstrated your strengths. Back up all your skills with specific examples to make you a stronger candidate. Bottom line, know what you have to offer an employer. If you don't know, they won't either.
First step:
If you really need to better understand yourself in terms of your interests, values, and personality style and how those impact career decisions and satisfaction,
Research the organizations you are interested in by using the Internet and networking with people "in the know"- friends, family or friends, neighbors, faculty, a career counselor, to name a few. Based on your research, you will be better prepared to ask questions that will impress the recruiters.
Why Should You Research Employers?
To gain an understanding of the mission and purpose of the organization.
To learn about career potential at different employers.
To increase your awareness of the various companies that are in your targeted career field(s)
To impress employers about your initiative to research their businesses and present yourself professionally.
What Do I Need to Know About an Employer?
At a minimum, make sure that you are familiar with the following aspects of an employer:
Company name, how long in existence, reputation and geographical location(s)
What does the company do: Product lines and/or services (computers, customer service, teaching)
Parent company and/or subsidiaries
Financial picture of organization, assets, stock picture, recent mergers; is the company growing
Who are the major competitors
Career possibilities: do they have an internship or management training program; what is their typical career path for recent graduates.
Is mobility a career requirement
Application Process
General web searches (Useful Links) are excellent ways to learn more about companies and organizations too.
Bottom line, know why you want to work for their organization. If you don't
know, they won't either.
Remember to bring copies of your resume (or resumes, if you have several versions tailored to different career choices), a few pens (have backups - they have a way of disappearing), a folder and portfolio, and some sort of note-taking device (a paper or electronic pad). Keep track of the recruiters with whom you speak and send follow-up notes to the ones who interest you (making notes on the back of a recruiter's business card after you walk away from their table or booth is a sure way to keep all your information organized!).
Your parents, significant others, and your top ten favorite group of friends
Don't bring your backpack; it's cumbersome for you, it gets in the way of others and it screams "student!" instead of "candidate!"
Get to the fair early - don't wait for last half hour of the event. Recruiters put in a long day and probably won't be appreciative if you show up when they are packing up their belongings to leave.
Generally, the appropriate attire for career fair attendees is more relaxed than what you'd wear to an actual job interview. In most cases "business casual" is the norm. However, if you're unsure of the dress code (particularly for off-campus events), it would be wise to err on the overdressed side - you'll make a better impression if you appear more like a professional and less like a sloppy student. Think of it as a dress rehearsal for your real interviews!
Keep your eyes and ears open - there's nothing wrong with subtly eavesdropping on the questions asked and answers received by your fellow career fair attendees. You might pick up some valuable information, as well as witness some real-life career and internship fair "do's and don'ts."
In order to maximize your career fair experience, you must be an active participant and not just a browser. If all you do is stroll around, take company literature and load up on the ubiquitous freebies, you really haven't accomplished anything worthwhile. It is essential to speak with the company representatives and ask meaningful questions.
If possible, try to attend at least one career fair before beginning your formal job interview process. For new entrants into the professional career marketplace, this is a good way to make the transition into "self-marketing mode" without the formality and possible intimidation of a one-on-one job interview. It's an opportunity that's too valuable to miss.
Make a good first impression: make eye contact immediately when introducing yourself; give a firm handshake to get you off to a good start; smile and be polite - enthusiasm is an important quality.
Body language often speaks louder than the spoken word. DO NOT: chew gum; fidget; play with your hair; look around when talking or being spoken to.
The auditorium will be noisy that day and if they can't hear you, they won't remember you. Offer your resume. Ask for a business card or write down the representative's name. It is okay to ask about their hiring procedures. You want to make sure you are doing it right.
Communication is critical! Listen carefully to what the representative has to say. Avoid using filler words such as "um", "like", "you know." Speak with a confident voice. If you don't know what type of position you want, tell the recruiter things about yourself that will help determine what positions are most suitable for you. Learn to "sell" yourself in a minute or two. Practice a "quick sell" speech you can communicate to a recruiter who appears interested in you. You may consider this your personal commercial!
Your "quick sell" will include:
Your name
Class standing (freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior)
Your academic degrees, majors, minors, specializations, certifications, and relevant coursework
How you became interested in your field/discipline
Honors, awards, and achievements
Specific skills you have that are applicable to the field
Specific job training, relevant work experiences, volunteer and internships
Positions of leadership and/or campus involvement
Short and long term goals (education and career)
Insight and enthusiasm for the company the recruiter represents
A SAMPLE "QUICK SELL"
"Hello, I'm Fred Brown. I'm a senior at the University of Nevada, majoring in _________(fill in the blank). I am interested in a public relations/marketing career. You can see on my resume that I just completed an internship with the Public Relations department of the Get Well Quick Hospital. I have also taken some courses in Advertising, Public Relations, Communications, and Information Systems. I would like to discuss marketing and public relations opportunities in your organization.
Before beginning with your questions be sure to introduce yourself and establish rapport with the representatives.
The questions you ask at a career fair depend upon your goals. Are you interested in finding out about a particular career field? Or have you researched the company and their employment opportunities, and thus have interest in a particular job?
Pay close attention and listen carefully to their answers!
Be courteous: before leaving, be sure to close the conversation and thank them.
Don't read directly from this list of questions at the Fair. If you are well prepared, you can truly be yourself.
How many employees does your company have?
What kind of entry-level positions exist within your organization?
How many employees are in my area of interest?
Does your company hire on a continual basis or just certain times of the year?
How long does the hiring process take?
What does your organization consider the 5 most important qualities in an employee?
Are graduate degrees important? If yes, in what areas?
What courses do you suggest in order to be a successful candidate?
Is there a G.P.A. cut-off in the recruiting process?
What personality traits are important for success in your company?
As an entry-level employee now, what can I expect to be doing 2, 5, 10 years from now?
What made you choose to work for this company?
How long have you been with the company?
What things have your organization accomplished of which you are especially proud?
How many years does the entry-level employee typically stay with the company?
Don't interrupt the recruiter when he or she is speaking with one of your fellow job-seekers. If someone else is monopolizing the recruiter's time, try to make eye contact with the representative to let him or her know that you're interested in speaking with him or her. You may be doing them a favor by giving the recruiter an out, i.e., "Excuse me, but I see that someone else has a question." If all else fails, move to the next exhibit and come back later.
If you find yourself genuinely interested in an employer, find out the procedures required to secure an interview. At some career fairs, initial screening interviews may be done on the spot. Other times, the career fair is used to pre-screen applicants for interviews to be conducted later (either on campus or at the employer's site.)
Don't just drop your resume on employers' display tables. Try to get it into a person's hand and at least say a few words. If the scene is too busy and you can't get the recruiter's attention, jot a note on your resume to the effect of, "You were so busy that we didn't get a chance to meet. I'm very interested in talking to you." Look around the display for the recruiter's business card (or at the very least, write down his or her name and get some literature with the company's address) and send a follow-up note and another copy of your resume.
If you know ahead of time that one of your "dream companies" is a career fair participant, do some prior research (at minimum, visit their web site). A little advance preparation goes a long way and will make you stand out among the masses of other attendees.
Immediately following the fair, create a file containing important notes regarding information gained from employers and include company brochures.
Mailing a thank you letter is not only appropriate, it can also bring attention to your name.
You can send an initial or additional resume in your thank you letter. Again, point out your strengths.
You can also call to make sure that your application is complete.
When calling, be prepared and know/practice what you are going to say.
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU MADE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION!
You did such a great job preparing for the fair and interacting with the recruiters that you have been asked to interview for a position. Here are some guidelines for preparing for and conducting a powerful interview.
BEYOND THE INTERVIEWER'S QUESTIONS...ARE YOUR POWERFUL RESPONSES
Behavior based interviewing (BBI) is based on the assumption that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. BBI incorporates structured questions on the applicant's past behaviors that are similar to those in the new position. It supposedly goes beyond telling whether a person can do a good job. Its purpose is to determine whether a person will do a good job! The questions are usually developed around the traits and skills the employer deems necessary for succeeding in the position or organization.
The secret to success in these interviews is to draw a verbal picture of yourself through examples from your past. For every skill, trait, and accomplishment that you claim makes you an appropriate candidate, you must have a descriptive example (a story) of an occasion or incident that demonstrates the claimed strength.
EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIOR BASED INFORMATIONAL QUESTIONS
Describe an incident where you had a disagreement or clash with someone.
Tell me about the most difficult or frustrating person with whom you have worked.
Give an instance when you felt most pressured and stressed.
How do you go about organizing and scheduling your time?
Tell me about a time you made a decision that backfired.
Tell me about a time when you...
Were creative in solving a problem
Missed an obvious solution to a problem
Anticipated potential problems and developed preventative measures
Got bogged down in the details of a problem
Were disappointed in your behavior
Were unable to complete a project on time
EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIOR BASED INTERVIEWING BY "MOST IN DEMAND" COMPETENCY AREAS
Give an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision; a
time when you had to delay a decision because you did not have all the needed
information.
Describe an occasion when you included others in your decision making. To what
extent did you and did you not incorporate their input?
Describe a situation in which you were able to effectively "read" another person
and guide your behavior and actions based on your understanding of their needs
or values?
What have you done in past situations to contribute toward a positive teamwork
environment?
Describe an unpopular decision you have had to make and how you handled the
feedback you received. Did you change the decision in any way? Why or why not?
Discuss the most difficult or frustrating individual you have had to cooperate
with and how you managed to make the best of a challenging situation.
How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time and workloads?
Describe a time that your "plan" did not work out the way you had anticipated.
How did you react; what did you do?
What do you do to be effective with planning and organization?
Give me an example of a time when you were under stress to meet a deadline. How
did you handle the stress? What was the outcome?
PREPARING FOR THE BEHAVIORAL BASED INTERVIEW
Gather information about the position you are interested in and determine the
skills that would be important to have to successfully accomplish goals and
projects.
Identify your skills and experiences and prepare to articulate what they are and
how they apply to the position desired.
Develop brief scenarios and stories that will illustrate that you have the
needed skill and/or experience.
Be prepared to provide examples of times when outcomes and results were not what
you expected. Think of how you can turn a "weakness" into a lesson learned or
even strength.
Prepare for Fairs
