Preparing for a Job Fair

What to Expect at a Career Fair
Having realistic expectations of a Career Fair is important in succeeding in your career or Co-op placement search. The following list can be helpful to identify any misconceptions of a Career Fair:
 Employers expect students to be prepared (i.e. be professionally dressed, ask thoughtful questions, have a polished resume)
 Employers expect to interact with students seeking employment as well as those simply researching careers and employers
 Most recruiters are not authorized to hire candidates on the day of the fair. With this in mind, your goal should be to land an interview - not a job offer
 Employers’ goals are to be exposed to as many job candidates as possible; therefore, you will have a relatively short amount of time to sell yourself and make a positive impact on the employer
 Attending a Career Fair for the first time can be a little overwhelming. However, if you have taken time to prepare for the fair, you will get as much out of the Career Fair event as you put into it
Simply attending a career fair is not enough; you need to make your participation at the fair count! The following topics represent what you need to do in order to prepare for a Career Fair. Hopefully, you have already taken some, if not all, of the following measures to make the most out of your Career Fair experience. Refer to this Career Guide and use the ideas presented in it to prepare for the next Career Fair or interview that you attend.


Before The Career Fair
1. Target your top companies
If possible, get a list of the companies/organizations who will be attending the career fair and plan your strategy for which companies you would like to visit. Take time to research the ten organizations in which you are most interested. However, give yourself time to meet with most of the employers who attend the fair.
2. Prepare a Resume
A well written, error free resume is a must! Make sure you have multiple copies of both your resume and list of references on hand.
3. Create a List of Questions
Create a list of questions that you would like to ask the employers.
4. Prepare to Answer Questions
Remember, employers will also be asking you questions! You will be expected to think on your feet, so be prepared to answer their questions.
5. Learn to Sell Yourself
Create a 60-second commercial & practice, practice, practice!
Your commercial should include:
• Introduction- Introduce yourself, offer a firm hand shake and a resume
• Objective- Tell the employer why you are there and what sort of employment you seek
• Brief summary of your education, experience, strengths, etc
• Reiterate your interest and thank the employer

6. Arrive Early
In many cases arriving early means avoiding long lines.
Also, you may find that some of the employers will leave before the career fair has ended and you don't want to miss an opportunity of speaking with a company/organization that you would like to see.
7. Make a Good First Impression
Be sure you are wearing professional business attire and your NSCC name tag so that they can identify with who you are.
8. In Summary
 Prioritize those employers with whom you would like to speak.
 Identify the information you hope to obtain
 Identify personal strengths you would like to convey
 Specify those goals you hope to achieve by attending the Career Fair
 If in doubt as to what job opening a company has, talk to as many recruiters as possible You never know when you might discover your perfect job!

During The Career Fair
1. Be Confident
It is important that you understand that employers view candidates as possible future employees of their organization. Therefore, you need to display enthusiasm, confidence, sincerity and the ability to communicate clearly. Smile; walk confidently with good posture, and make consistent and direct eye contact.
2. Chart Your Course
Survey the room to determine where employers are located and in what order you plan to visit them. If possible, avoid standing in long lines. If there is a long line to speak with a representative, keep moving and return later.
3. Introduce Yourself
When it's your turn to meet the employer, take a deep breath, smile, shake hands firmly and begin your "60 second" commercial. Be sure to make direct eye contact with the employer throughout your conversation. Also, watch your tempo and tone when speaking to the employer. A common nervous habit is to speak too quickly and/or too loudly or softly.
4. Ask Meaningful Questions
 It is a good idea to ask one or two meaningful questions without monopolizing the employer’s time.
 At this point, it is generally not a good idea to ask about salary
 If you are currently an undergraduate, be sure to ask about internship, co-op, summer employment and scholarship opportunities

5. Prepare to Follow-up

At the end of your conversation, be sure to:
 Thank the employer for his/her time
 Leave a copy of your resume
 Ask the employer for a business card, company literature and protocol for follow-up
 If the employer says they do not have a position in your field, ask for the address of the Personnel Office so you can write.

As soon as you walk away from the employer, jot down a few notes about your conversation. You may want to bring up a few memorable points that were discussed during your visit to include in your follow-up letter.

6. Prepare to Answer Questions
Remember, employers will also be asking you questions! You will be expected to think on your feet, so be prepared to answer their questions.


After The Career Fair
1. Give Yourself the Competitive Edge
Don't make the mistake of thinking that as soon as you have spoken to the last employer and left the facility that you are finished. Follow-up is essential to making the most of your career fair experience!
2. Send Thank-you letters
Be sure to send thank you letters to employers that you meet within one week. Most candidates do not make the effort to send thank you letters; why not give yourself the competitive edge!
3. Be persistent
Observe the follow-up procedures suggested by the employer. Once you have complied with these procedures, if a reasonable amount of time has passed and you have not heard from the employer, it is okay to send a letter to the employer inquiring about the status of your application.
4. Summary
You have made the most of your career fair experience when it results in subsequent interviews. If you have followed the "before", "during" and "after" steps, you are probably on your way to landing one or more interviews--and better yet, landing a career!