One of the best resources available to job seekers are career fairs. These events offer eager job hunters the opportunity to meet with recruiters from many different companies across various industries, all under one roof. While it can be intimidating at first, once you get comfortable in the environment you can learn a lot about available positions at companies you’re interested in. While these events are more laid back than formal interviews, its important to remember that it is still a professional event; and you should be prepared to behave in a professional manner. Whether you’re an experienced job fair goer, or you’re attending your first one soon, we have a few tips to help you make the most of your experience.
Dress to Impress
When you go to a job fair, remember: your interview is happening right now! As such, you will want to make sure you’re dressed professionally and are well-groomed. Surprisingly, not many people follow this unspoken rule of career fairs (we’ve even some people wearing sweatpants in the past). Its not out of the ordinary to see people in jeans or a hoodie walking between the rows of companies, and its easy to understand why. Career fairs are noisy and crowded, and can appear a bit unofficial because of this. Regardless, you want to be sure you present yourself the best you can. Don’t wear anything you wouldn’t normally wear to an interview.
Come Prepared
Like we said before, you want to approach a job fair the same way you would an interview. This means coming prepared with all your interview essentials including: several copies of your resume, a notepad and pen, and business cards if you have any. Its also a good idea to bring a bottle of water and a snack or two. Career fairs often last several hours and you will most likely be visiting several booths during that time. That means back-to-back-to-back interviews, which can definitely leave you feeling a a bit hungry and thirsty. Bring along something light that you can quickly eat in the event you need a snack, and something to drink that won’t stain what you’re wearing in case you spill.
Don’t Just Ask Questions
Asking insightful questions at a job fair is definitely something you want to do to get as much information about each company as possible. However, you want to make sure you’re not only asking questions, but also adding comments about yourself as well. Think about it, career fairs are crowded and these recruiters are fielding thousands of questions from hundreds of different people. If all you do is ask questions, then you’re just another face in the crowd. Stand out by leading with your elevator pitch and then discussing your qualifications, experiences, and skills. You want to make yourself unforgettable, and going beyond the question phase is an easy way to stand out. Be sure to check out our blog on building the perfect elevator pitch for more tips!
Be Seen and Heard
Career fairs are typically busy environments with many confident, eager job-seekers all vying for attention; so it can be easy to get lost in all the background noise. While you can’t control the volume of others, you can control how you adapt to it. Speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard above the noise of everyone else, but avoid shouting at the recruiter. You want to make sure they can hear and understand every word you’re saying without having to ask you to repeat yourself. Also, maintain good eye contact. If your eyes start to drift across the room, the recruiter will likely shift their focus to another person who is actively paying attention to them.