Achieving Success at a Career Fair

Attending a career fair can be overwhelming -- walking into a room filled with other job hunters and employers in a sea of tables can seem like a daunting situation. However, with the right plan you can turn a career or job fair into a winning success.

Step 1: When you arrive, or before if possible, read the list of employers who are in attendance and read the job descriptions of positions they have posted. If you are particularly interested in an employer or a job opportunity be sure you do enhanced research about the company and or skills required so you can talk intelligently with the recruiter and make a great first impression.

If you read the list before, grab an updated list when you arrive, and re-read the list and job descriptions. Companies may be added or taken off the list at the last minute for a variety of reasons.

Why is it important to read the list first?

Often people arrive at a job fair and they feel the need to rush right in, mainly, because everyone else is rushing in. Also, the coordinators may want you to rush in as they have a vested interest in having as many people as possible in the room at the same time. Don’t follow the crowd! Take the list, find a quiet corner and read the list. This is very important. Take notes on the list if possible. If it is not possible to write out your notes, make mental notes, but I do suggest written notes as much as possible. When you are in the actual event, there might be a lot of commotion and this can often cause you to forget your mental notes.

When approaching employers, almost everyone will go over and ask, “what are you looking for?” A more approachable method and a way of setting yourself apart from others would be to say “I read you were looking for computer engineers today. Do you have any other opportunities that weren’t posted?” Or, “I saw you were looking for computer engineers today. I have experience and would like to learn more about this opportunity.” Another ice breaker that can be used is, “I read you were looking for computer engineers. What skills does this position require?” By approaching an employer with one of the three questions above, or some variation, tells the employer you are professional, dedicated and that you have read the posting. This alone should set you apart from others.

Step 2: Once you have read the list, you’ll know who is in attendance and you’ll have an idea of what they are looking for. Next, you should plan on how you would like to go around the room. In my experience there are usually five- or six-foot tables set up into rows. Generally, there is one door the coordinator wants everyone to go in and out of. Most people, when they enter the employers room, start at the first table, closest to the door. I suggest you go to the opposite side of the room, the last row, and begin moving up and down the rows one table at a time. We suggest you stop and talk to everyone, whether they have a posted position you are interested in or not.

Why is it important to talk to every table?

Career fairs are an excellent opportunity to network, learn about companies in your local area, and of course find a job. Just because a listed company doesn’t have a position posted for you doesn’t mean the person at the table doesn’t know of a great position for you, or a resource available to you that can change your life. We’ll let you in on a secret . . . as recruiters, we talk to each other. As is often said, “birds of a feather flock together.” Chances are good that some of their friends are recruiters at other companies, or they previously worked for a company where they used to recruit and may still know what positions those companies are trying to fill.

Make sure you leave enough time to visit every table. Employers do sometimes pack up and leave early. You need to plan for this. Remember, they have full-time jobs and a to-do list at their office. Sometimes, as an employer, leaving early is unavoidable.

Step 3: After the event, be sure you follow up. At the end of each conversation ask for a business card from the person you spoke with. If they have one, take it. If they don’t, that’s ok.

If they give you a business card, send a follow up email thanking them for their time at the career fair and ask them to keep you in mind if any suitable positions open up or if they hear of anyone looking to hire within your field.

 Why should you follow up?

Following up is your opportunity to stand out. Most career fair participants do not follow up. However, do not continue to follow up if you do not receive a reply.

If you had a particularly good conversation with a recruiter I would suggest asking if you can connect on Linked In to stay in touch.

And now, you should see that a job fair doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Armed with these tips, you are now prepared to enter your next career fair confidently and leave as a success!

Suzanne Ricci, best-selling career success author and certified career coach, is the executive director at Computer Coach Training Center. Computer Coach helps individuals transition into computer careers or enhance their current careers through hands-on courses within the growing fields of IT Networking, Coding, Cyber Security and Project Management. For more than 20 years, Suzanne has coached individuals into rewarding and successful IT and project management careers. Throughout this time, she has attended hundreds of career fairs.

Learn more about Computer Coach IT Training Centers at www.ComputerCoach.com or connect with Suzanne on Linked In.