Maximizing Job Fairs

Maximizing Job Fairs

Intimidating, overwhelming and exhausting are all terms I’ve heard candidates describe job fairs they’ve attended. Below I’ll be sharing my tips and pointers on maximizing your exposure and outcome of attending a job fair.

Like interviewing the first and most crucial step is taking the time to be properly prepared and controlling the aspects that you can control. In the case of a job fair you can prepare by preparing plenty of resumes, setting up your attire, getting in the zone, getting acquainted with the companies that will be attending, preparing to ‘round’ and practicing you pitch.

My general rule of thumb is that you should have at a minimum 75% the number of resumes as there are employers attending. This may sound extreme to some but trust me when I say that there is nothing that will put you in a ‘no’ pile faster than not producing a resume when you’re trying to make an impression. More to come on why I choose 75% in the ‘rounding’ section.

While it is very difficult to over-dress for an interview, attire is a simple subject though it can have a few important factors to consider. Bear in mind there are both school sanctioned job fairs and community sanctioned job fairs and while your attire should not change from one to another, your fellow attendees may be more or less similar to one another in such instances. Your profession and target jobs are perhaps the most important factors to consider. For example, if you are an Assembly Technician who works in a factory, you’re likely wearing jeans and a company logo t-shirt while at work and if you’re in sales at a company, you’re likely wearing a suit or at least shirt and tie. For interviews, I suggest to candidates to dress a par above what you’d wear to your place of employment. The single trickiest part is that unless you are acquainted with the company, knowing their dress code may be a guess, in these cases, go with the ‘dressier’ guess. I never suggest going in less than ‘Sundays finest’ such as khakis and a polo or nice blouse, as your attire will be the first impression at a job fair – unlike in an interview when your arrival time is the first impression. Bear in mind, the kind of job fair you attend may be niche specific or in some cases could be extremely diverse in target audiences. Be aware of this particularly in the more diverse often community hosted job fairs that there will be attendees and employers seeking diverse backgrounds. In school sanctioned job fairs, most employers would be expecting fresh graduates seeking entry level careers, you’ll likely see and should be dressed to the nines in these cases.

Actors on a stage often practice a ‘3 step rule’ that is simple to understand; three steps prior to entering the stage and audience you need to be in character and until three steps off stage and out of audience view you should remain in character. The same rules should apply to interviewing and attending job fairs. Though being ‘in character’ does not mean acting or pretending but rather being ‘in the zone’ and aware that at any moment from any point of the room someone whom you may want to speak with could in fact be observing you. I will forever remember attending a job fair as an employer and while I was take a quick water break, I noticed a candidate standing in the corner of the room with his eyes as wide as could be, shoulders poised up to ears, looking like he was seeing a ghost; clearly, he was scared and intimidated by his surroundings. I later saw the same candidate approach my table, in a more relaxed manner, but I could not get the image of him in the corner out of my mind. Be aware that before you walk in that room and until you walk out of that room, you’re likely being observed and seen.

It is said that the most beautiful word in the English language is your own name as we are general speaking a self-serving species. The same can be said about companies and people being loyal to their company. The ability to speak intelligently about a company you are interviewing with goes a long way in showing your interest and standing out in a crowd. In all career fairs that I am aware of, either through a school or the host of non-school sanctioned, if you contact the host, you can obtain a list of the employers planning to attend. I strongly recommend obtaining and researching the companies. While this may sound like a daunting task, it is unnecessary to memorize all aspects of each company. Instead, I recommend reviewing their website, learn a general sentence or two worth of information and jot that down in your portfolio/folder that you bring. Then prior to visiting any given companies station, do a quick review of your notes on the company. Again, this gives you the ability to speak directly about the employer’s company beyond the average attendee and will help you make an impression.

If possible it’s best to plan plenty of time for attending but in our busy lives, many times we only have a limited amount to spare. Rounding is the art of mapping and adapting accordingly to maximize your time at the fair. In my experience jobs fairs have surges of busy and down times. Odds are you’ll show up at a busy time and in that case, you need to know how to maximize your time. Again, it is important to point out that if you’re attending a school sanctioned job fair then the employers are seeking mostly entry level and in some cases niche specific while if you attend a community sanctioned job fair there will be a diverse group. Since you should be ‘acquainted’ with the companies that are attending, you should be able to identify your target attendants. While it’s important to speak with your targets, I do not recommend spending much time waiting in lines as time not spent communicating is time wasted. If there is a long line at a company that you are target first try another one of your top targets and if all else fails, do not be afraid to speak with a person who currently has no wait. You may be surprised by this statement but not all Technology companies only hire Technology candidates and not all Accounting companies only hire Accountants. Many companies have diverse needs and striking up a conversation with a ‘non-target’ company, explaining your background and hearing what they are looking for is hardly a waste as it is an opportunity to practice your pitch and network. This is why I feel you should bring plenty of resumes, 75% of the total companies attending.

The most common interview question that I’m aware of is also usually the first question an employer asks when speaking with you and is simply, “Tell me about yourself.”, your response should be your ‘pitch.’ A pitch is a quick but thorough review of your professional background. In some cases, it can begin prior to your schooling, more to come on that, but most of the time it should begin with your schooling and end with you most recent and relevant real world experience. As stated, you may be able to being prior your schooling if and only if it is relevant real world experience and exposure to your skill-set; for example, in you are a Maintenance Technician and grew up on a family farm turning wrenches since you were five years old, or perhaps you are an Electronics Technician and grew up taking apart the family radio and putting it back together; then yes, in cases like this, your pitch can start prior to your schooling. Include your specific major, any project coursework, any internship or co-op experience and if you have any then freelance experiences as well. If you did not attend any higher education, then begin with your ‘after graduating’ W2 and freelance experiences that are relevant to the jobs you are targeting. Your pitch should be clear, concise, and relevant. The pitch should be between 30 seconds and 1 minute. Rehearsing is the only way practice, do not be afraid or intimidated to ask family or friends to hear your pitch and give you feedback. All in all, remember chronological from earliest to most recent experiences and training.

If you are still struggling with a 'pitch' a great exercise you can try;

1. Pick 3 adjectives that best describe you professionally - do not use dependable, professional, team player, problem solver, or good communicator - unless you are prepared, fully prepared, and overly prepared to both define what that means and provide examples of you mastered skill.
2. Pick two projects or classes, for students, along with their concepts that you feel very comfortable and knowledgeable with that capitalize on your strengths.
3. Pick on project, concept or class that you just don't quiet understand or comprehend.

Now, tie it together and tell your story! Your adjectives tell me who you are, your projects tell me your strengths along with your weakness.

Close the sale! Closing begins at the beginning of your introduction; yes that means you are starting to close when you first make eye contact! SMILE! Shake Hands! THANK THEM for being there! This is how your intro should go with every employer. Their first impression is you physically, are you standing straight, are you friendly, are you dressed appropriately. The second impression is your handshake and what your saying, you're pitch. All of this is happening in the first 30 to 60 seconds and it is first part of closing. At the end of your meet-in-greet, THANK THEM again! Tell them that you appreciate learning more about their company and that you hope to be in their future consideration. GET THEIR CONTACT INFO, either get a business card or ask directly for their contact info, do not leave without their first and last name and their company name, THEN WRITE IT DOWN. After the fair, go to LinkedIn and find them and send them an invite to connect with a short thank you message. This will give them a great impression of you along with your online career portfolio as your LinkedIn account is more than just your resume, it is everything!

Time-Line for Preparing

The Weeks Prior

?Shopping

—What are you wearing/bringing

?Research

—Top choice companies

?Networking

―Do you already know people at their company

?Resume

―Is it ready

?Pitch

What are you going to say

Days Before

Layout/Try on clothes

Print out resumes

Extra Supplies

Research

—Make notes about your targets

Practice Pitch

Write down questions

Hours and Minutes Before

Clean Up

Supplies check

―Resume, pens, paper, questions

Suit Up

―Spot check

Restroom

Breath Mints * NO GUM

Phone Off

During

?3 steps on and 3 steps off

—Someone is always watching

?Identify and locate targets

—Make rounds!

?Venture out/Rotate

—Visit the less attended tables

?Pitch

?Actively listen/Answer questions asked/Ask questions

?Ask for, pick up contact info

?Smile

After

Thank them for their time – Twice – Say their name

Let them know you feel you are a fit and would like to work there

Ask for their continued consideration

Thank you letters

―Brief, personalized

Summary;

1.   Properly prepare – bring plenty of resumes

2.   Know what to wear – dress a par above your profession

3.   Prepare you mindset – be in character three steps before you enter until three steps after you leave

4.   Acquaint yourself with the attendees – know who they are and what they do, write it down in your folder/portfolio

5.   Learn to round – know your targets and begin with them but do not wait in long lines, ‘round’ and network with everyone

6.   Practice your pitch – 30 seconds to 1 minute chronological professionally relevant summary.

7. Close the sale - thank them three times, once in the beginning, once at the end, and once on LinkedIn with a connection request.

Job fairs can be intimidating and tricky but sticking to the basics and controlling what you can will set you up for success. 

Check out my other articles on resumes, interviewing, and job fairs below;

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/resumes-101-john-perkins

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/interviewing-101-john-perkins

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/job-hunting-101-john-perkins/