|
Making the Job Fair a Worthwhile Experience
Author: Lavie
Margolin, Career Coach
Many of us have attended job fairs only to be let down. You may have
expected different employers at the fair or could not find anyone
looking to recruit for someone with our backgrounds. Perhaps we did
meet the right people but never heard back afterwards. What follows
are tips to increase your job fair success every step of the way:
from pre-fair preparation, what to do during the actual fair and
steps to take afterwards.
Pre Fair:
· Research- look up the
companies that will be there. Know something about their business.
Research the type of jobs that may be open on their website and
using an Indeed.com search.
· Know where the location is. Leave
plenty of extra time to arrive early, before the doors open to allow
yourself earlier entry and the ability to meet with all of the
employers
· Create a plan- know which employers you would most
like to meet with and start standing on those lines early. Many
employers do not stay for the whole event.
· Have your interview
attire pre-planned
· Have several copies of your resume
available. If possible, have different versions of your resume
available.
During the Fair:
· Turn your cell phone
off or put it on vibrate.
· Be professional at all times. Be
patient while waiting online. When an employer is speaking to
someone, don’t hover over them if you are next.
· Have something
relevant and intelligent to say about the company. Show that you are
not applying to any company or any position but that you are
interested in them. What facts do you know about the company?
·
Be prepared to give your ‘elevator pitch’ and answer a few primary
questions. If they are interested in you, they will get back to you.
· Pay attention to social cues.
· Ask for the interviewers’ card.
Ask when you can follow up with them. Make a note after the
interview as to when you could follow up, the job types discussed
and any other relevant notes.
· A job fair is a great time to
network with other job seekers as well. Just because you are both
looking for a job, does not mean that you cannot help each other
also
Post Fair:
· Email a thank you note to each
employer that you met with, including those companies you do not
want to work for.
· Attach a copy of your resume along with the
note.
· Follow up with the company if you have not heard from
them. Remind the person of what you discussed at the fair and your
qualifications.
· Look back on the fair experience. How do you
feel you could have been better prepared?
· Try to establish a
relationship by inviting the employer to connect on Linkedin. Do not
do this during the active interviewing stage but after the process
has concluded (even if you were not hired or chose not to accept the
position).
About the Author:
Lavie Margolin is a New
York-based Career Coach and the author of Lion Cub Job Search:
Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers. To learn
more, go to Lavie’s website, Lion Cub Job Search:
www.Lioncubjobsearch.com
|
