Career Options Magazine

Maxine Dubuc, Manager, Community Based Learning and Career Development at Huron University College, believes students should consider career fairs as a component of their overall job search strategy because of the relationships they will build. “Next time you go to a networking event such as an information session, you may recognize someone [company representative] you met at a career fair and you’ll be able to talk to them on a more familiar basis.” Career fairs are not just about getting a job, they’re about building contacts within organizations and developing those relationships.

Remember that first impressions are lasting ones: being properly prepared for a career fair will ensure that you leave company representatives with a positive impression of you.

Hit the ground running—prepare by conducting research

Your goal at a career fair is to get noticed. During these events, company representatives are literally meeting hundreds of students. The way to stand out is by being prepared. “Career fairs are about having quality meetings versus quantity [number of employers] meetings,” advises Angie Paisley, Career Advisor, Hired Career Services at Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Before the career fair, determine which companies will be attending and research the ones that interest you. Your research will enable you to be more confident and better prepared when speaking to a company representative.

“At our school, the Hired Career Services portal acts as a repository,” explains Paisley. “Students can go there and find out which companies will be at a career fair and get the link to a company’s [Internet] site.” Researching a company sends a strong message to a potential employer that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you’re interested in working for that particular organization. Research will also enable you to match your skills and experiences with the needs of a company. “You need to know what the company does,” says Paisley. “You don’t want to be the person who says, ‘What do you do?’”

Chris Antzinas, founder and owner of Design Cycle Resources, a technical search and placement firm, recommends being unique and confident in order to have a successful career fair experience. “Everyone will be asking standard questions, and getting standard company answers,” he explains. “Prior to going to the career fair, visit the target company’s corporate website and find recent news about the organization to talk about. Print, highlight and bring this along with you to the career fair.”

Dress for the job you want—don’t dress like a student

You get only one chance to make a first impression, so professionalism is paramount. Dress for a career fair as you would for an interview. Be sure to check your business attire a few days before the fair. Make sure it is neat, clean, pressed and well put together. Also make sure your shoes are polished and that you are well groomed. Antzinas says that “what the potential employer is testing the candidate on is not their fashion sense per se, but their judgment.” In other words, how they present themselves at the career fair reflects the image they project to the company’s clients.

Your conversation starter and self-marketing tool: the “elevator pitch”

Your introduction, also known as your “elevator pitch” to an employer is a 20–30 second synopsis of your education, experience and interests, and a very brief explanation of how you can make a contribution to that company. Always end your introduction with a question for the representative to engage him or her in a conversation.

Come equipped with the right tools

It is recommended that you bring the following items to a career fair:

• Business cards: Create your own business cards, as company representatives don’t normally accept résumés at career fairs. “If you have a business card, give it to the company representatives you meet,” advises Dubuc. “If they are impressed by you, then they can write notes on it so when they receive your online application you will be recognized.” You should present your business card as follows: the front of your card should face the recipient as you hold the upper corner. If you are the recipient, accept a business card from the bottom corner, look at it, and thank the person who offered it.
• Pad of paper and a pen: It’s a good idea to buy a portfolio to carry your pen, paper and business cards. By taking notes at the career fair, you’re demonstrating to company representatives that you’re interested in their company and that you think what they’re saying is important.
• A list of questions: Based on your research, make a list of questions to ask representatives/potential employers.

Follow up with an e-mail

It’s important to follow up after the career fair. Be sure to send a personalized thank-you note via e-mail within a week to every representative you spoke to. This is an effective way to reintroduce yourself to the employer and demonstrate your interest in their company. Since career fairs are a form of networking, Dubuc suggests that you “look at other ways that you can meet the company representatives again, such as information sessions” to get constant exposure and to build a good relationship with the employer. When you make the employer remember you for your enthusiasm and professional manner, you are ensuring that your application makes it to the top of the pile.

by Panagiota Panagakos

How to Work a Career Fair

External video link: How Did You Prepare for a Career Fair?