The Ten Keys to Success at Job Fairs

Job Fairs have one common theme: it's a chance for a company to meet and screen a large volume of potential job candidates.

Whether you're a student new to the job-hunting process or a seasoned professional, these ten strategies will improve your odds of not being screened out and and increase your chances of getting an interview.

1. Be aware and Pre-register
   Check out newspaper and job boards on a daily basis so that you won’t miss the next job fair in your area.
   
   CAREER SERVICES POSTS INFORMATION ON A DAILY BASIS ABOUT JOB FAIRS IN AND AROUND THE BOSTON AREA. DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR BULLETIN BOARD AND JOB BOARD ON A DAILY BASIS!
   
   
2. Be prepared
   Many job-seekers go to fairs on a casual note without any preparation. You can get a huge jump on the competition by getting a list of the companies attending the fair and doing some research on each of the companies you want to interview with; don't waste time with companies that do not interest you.
   
   CAREER SERVICES WILL HELP YOU RESEARCH COMPANIES THAT INTEREST YOU AND WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A LIST OF SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS.
   
   
3. Resumes
   Bring lots of resumes to the fair -- at least two for each company for which you have an interest. If you have multiple interests or job objectives, make sure you bring enough of each version of your resume.
   
   CAREER SERVICES WILL ASSIST YOU IN DEVELOPING AN “AWARD WINNING RESUME!”
   
   
4. Portfolios
   More and more career experts are emphasizing the importance of career portfolios. These portfolios should include copies of your resumes, a list of references, and samples of your best work. While most career fair interviews are fairly short, there may be opportunities for discussing your portfolio with a recruiter -- either over a short break or meal or during a second interview on-site. It is best to always be prepared no matter what happens.
   
   CAREER SERVICES WILL HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR PORTFOLIO!
   
   
5. Attire
   Conservative business attire is essential, because image and first impressions are critical. Know what is the expected attire of your profession and dress accordingly. It is always better to be overdressed than underdressed.
   
   CAREER SERVICES OFFERS “DRESS FOR SUCCESS” CONSULTATIONS!
   
   
6. Strategy
   You need to devise a strategy or plan of attack for the fair. You've already done the first step by researching the companies you are interested in. The second step is seeing if any new companies have registered when you arrive at the fair. The third step is surveying the layout of the fair and determining an order of interviewing.
   
   Some experts suggest meeting with your top choices first thing in the morning, interviewing with your other choices in the middle of the day, and returning to your top choices at the end of the day to thank them again for their time. But remember to stay flexible as your top choices may be the top choices of many, creating long lines that you may wish to avoid.
   
   CAREER SERVICES WILL HELP YOU MAP OUT A COURSE!
   
   
7. Interviewing
   You may only have two to five minutes to market yourself and protect yourself from being screened out, thus you need to make the most of your time. Many experts suggest that you develop a “30 second commercial" that highlights the key benefits that you can offer the organization -- and then use it at the beginning of the interview.
   
   Also remember the three keys to all interviews: make eye contact, offer a firm handshake, and show enthusiasm. You should also prepare answers to interview questions just as you would any employment interview. The most common question you will face is something along the lines of "what are you here for today?"
   
   Seems like an easy question to answer, especially if you've done your homework and can tailor your answer to your interests and the company's interests, thereby marketing yourself. Make sure you also have some questions to ask the interviewer. A great concluding question for you to ask is, "What do I need to do to obtain a second interview with your company?"
   
   CAREER SERVICES WILL ASSIST YOU DEVELOPING A COMMERCIAL
   
   “ALL ABOUT ME”
   CAREER SERVICES OFFERS “MOCK INTERVIEWING SESSIONS,” WE OFFER COACHING ON HOW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS DURING AN INTERVIEW. WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE TOP TEN QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ANSWER DURING
   AN INTERVIEW
   
   
8. Intangibles
   There are several other things you can do to help make your career fair experience a success. First, don't waste your time interviewing with companies you have no desire to work for; do make sure to interview with all the companies you do want to work for. Further, if your ideal company is hiring programmers and you want to work in accounting, do still interview with the company at the fair, being sure to leave the interview with the contact information of the person responsible for hiring in that area; don't be discouraged and just walk away.
   
   IF YOUR HAVING A HARD TIME CONNECTING WITH A HIRING MANAGER, LET CAREER SERVICES HELP YOU!
   
   
9. Networking
   Career fairs are all about networking. Of course, you are building a network with the recruiters -- this task is your most vital. However, you can also network with your fellow job-seekers in terms of sharing information about job leads, companies, and their recruiting strategies and styles. There may also be professional organizations or employment agencies on hand at the fair, which are also good sources for networking.
   
   DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE CAREER SERVICES AS PART OF YOUR NETWORK!
   
   
10. Follow-up
    Last but not the least, follow up. You would be surprised at how few job-seekers actually take the time to follow-up their career fair interviews. Thus when you do it, you will get an edge over the many others who do not. There are two main methods of follow-up. Some experts suggest actually calling the recruiter the evening of the fair and leaving a voicemail message thanking the recruiter again for his/her time that day.
    
    A more concrete and traditional method is to write a thank you note and mail it the next day to the address on the recruiter's business card. In the letter, thank the recruiter for his/her time, restate your interest and qualifications for the position, reiterate your interest in a second interview, and make a promise to follow-up the letter with a phone call (and then make sure you do in fact call). You probably should enclose another copy of your resume to be sure.
    
    CAREER SERVICES CAN HELP YOU WRITE A THANK YOU LETTER!