How to Work a Career Fair

>> A career fair is a great chance to meet with hiring managers face-to-face to ask questions, to learn about multiple companies, to make connections, and shine. But you can't just roll out of bed and stumble aimlessly around the event hall. [ Background music ] >> [Background music] Preparation is key. And a good place to start is by going over the list of companies that are going to be at the fair. Prioritize them by your interest level. Check out their websites and do a little research. When researching the company, you'll want to gain a grasp of the core services and key players within the organization. Plus, any initiatives or new products that they might be currently launching. >> I think one of the best things a student can do is do their research and plan and prepare. We have all of our employers, who are attending, are viewable on the websites with job descriptions, samples of positions that they might be hiring for, where they're located. So, really getting to know a little bit about the companies that they want to go talk to. >> So, what might they ask you? I think a pretty standard first question is, tell me about yourself. So, you might want to have a brief but powerful response to that. And have some questions ready for them as well. >> A red flag for me is a candidate who approaches with very little information on their resume. They start off by asking me what the company does. So, they haven't done their research before. And they have a challenging time talking about their qualifications or what they want to do long term. >> An example of a good question to ask might be, what does it take to succeed at your company? Another one, simply ask the rep what do they enjoy the most about working for the company. Make sure you have plenty of copies of your resume and maybe even different versions depending upon the company that you're approaching. Some of the standard characteristics that you'll be evaluated on are organization, appearance, professionalism, and confidence. So, make sure you pick out an outfit that's suitable for the event, suitable for an interview. >> If you come up and you just have that presence and you look me in the eyes and you shake my hand firmly, you're asking me questions, and you're answering my questions. Just being genuine and honest. I look for genuine people. I'm going to remember those people. >> And you are really going to need to bring some energy and enthusiasm on the day of so make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before. Hit your top priority companies first but don't rule out all others. Leave some timing and planning for these so-called "wild cards." There might be a company that you didn't expect to be there. Or one that just catches your interest for whatever reason. Explore that feeling. But if you can step outside and do a little research on your phone before talking to them, that's recommended. This happens often. If you get to a booth and the company rep is already tied up talking to somebody else, don't just walk away and expect to come back later. You may miss out on the opportunity. Take advantage of your time in waiting by casually listening to the conversation in front you. Use that information in your upcoming conversation with the recruiter. Take a minute to jot down a note or two after each interaction. This will come in handy during your follow-ups. After the fair, following up is key. Don't think that just because you provided your resume in person that you are all set. And you might want still to apply online before or after the career fair. >> Show off your resume. You want to pat yourself on the back. Talk about the good things you've done. And, like I said, you need something that makes you stand out. And if you don't bring that thing up that makes you stand out, nobody's going to go look for it. You have to kind of pave your own road. >> So, there you have it. Be prepared and be professional. Embrace the adventure of the fair and you will likely shine. Good luck out there. [Background music]