How to capitalise on our career fairs

Matt Smith made the move with his wife and 2 young kids from their home on the Sunshine Coast to Far North Queensland, after securing a job at Western Cape College? in Weipa following the 2018 Teach Queensland Career Fair.

'I attended both the Teach Rural and Teach Queensland Career Fairs in 2018, and both were really professional and very welcoming,' Matt said.

'There was no sense of hierarchy and though there was a mix of principals and people from all different sectors there, nobody made us feel intimidated—everyone was helpful and smiling.'

'I left the career fair with a clear understanding of what I'd be doing, where I'd be going and how to get there,' Matt said.

Here's Matt's top advice for anybody attending a Teach Queensland career fair:

1. 'The jobs are there, so take the opportunity to network. Dress professionally and make a good impression.'

Career fairs are an opportunity to make connections within the profession. Even if you're a year or two away from graduating, you can leave a lasting impression now to help you with your job hunt down the track.

2. 'Come prepared: do some research before the career fair to get a feel for the different regions in Queensland.'

Having a bit of background knowledge under your belt will help you ask informed questions and maximise the value of the conversations you have. Remember, it's your opportunity to convince principals that you would be a good addition to their team, and making an effort goes a long way. Read more about the different regions on our website.

3. 'Talk to as many people as you can. Have a conversation with principals and HR representatives from each of the regions to get some context about the different areas and schools within each region.'

If you have time, it's worthwhile chatting with people from each region if you're flexible about location. You might find once you get talking to the local teams that a region you hadn't previously considered is actually a great fit for you! That's what happened for Ellie Clark.

4. 'Be patient. Even if there are lots of people around, it's worth waiting to have a conversation with the region you're interested in and passing on your details.'

Our career fairs can get pretty packed, so if you can, carve out a few hours in your day to attend so you're not feeling rushed and you get the time to have useful conversations. With increasing student enrolments, new schools and new secondary curriculum areas, Queensland has significant demand for teachers, so our principals and recruiters are keen to talk to as many people as possible.

5. 'There is so much to learn and talk to people about at the career fair. It's not just about talking with the regions—you can find out useful information from related organisations like QSuper and the Queensland Teachers' Union.'

Plus, there are lots of goodies to take away from all the different stalls. Oh, and did we mention free coffee?!

Check our events page for all the details on our upcoming career fairs.