Making the Most of the Minnesota Education Job Fair Career Development Center  209 Wigley Administration 

Date and Logistics Monday, April 15, :00am-3:00pm (Interviews run until 5:00pm) Minneapolis Convention Center 1301 Second Avenue South Minneapolis, MN

Directions From the South (I-35W) Follow downtown exit signs to the 11th Street exit and follow 11th Street to 2nd Avenue South. Turn left on 2nd Avenue South and go 1 block to Convention Center. From the West (I-94) Take the 4th Street exit from I-94 and proceed to 2nd Avenue South. (Do NOT turn right onto 2nd Avenue North.) Turn right on 2nd Avenue South and go 8 blocks to Convention Center. From the West (I-394) Take Downtown exit (12th Street): follow 12th Street South to 2nd Avenue South and turn right. The Convention Center is on your left Additional driving directions

Parking There are multiple parking ramps in the area.parking ramps Select one that is near, but have a backup plan as they fill up quickly. Bring enough cash for all-day parking, they may not take credit cards. $25 should be plenty for all day parking in Minneapolis. Click here for additional parking rates.parking rates.

Preparing for the Fair-What to Bring Review the check list prior to the eventcheck list RESUMES! 25+ If you need guidance on developing your resume, visit the CDC Job Search HandbookJob Search Handbook Review school district registrationsregistrations Padfolio ($10 in the CDC) Notepad & pen Notes on any school district research you have done or correspondence you have received from districts $$$$ and other personal necessities Mini-interview portfolio for use in interviews Bag or a purse, not both HINT: Keep materials streamlined, don’t overload yourself with too much to carry.

Preparing for the Fair-What to do Gather information on districts you are interested in Rehearse your “1-2 minute verbal resume”1-2 minute verbal resume Be ready to talk about your strengths AND provide examples of these! HINT: A great resource to research districts in addition to their website is Yahoo Directory of k-12 SchoolsDirectory of k-12 Schools

Preparing for the Fair-What to Wear Dress conservatively and professionally A suit is not absolutely required, but a safe bet and makes a great first impression Women (Click here for Video)Click here for Video –Close-toed heals (comfortable shoes!) –Limit jewelry and makeup –Be aware of skirt length and revealing necklines –Pantyhose with skirts is a must! Men (Click here for Video)Click here for Video –Clean shaven/trimmed –Dress socks (no white athletic socks) –Tie is a must –Matching belt and shoes

Preparing for the Fair-What to Wear

When You Get to the Fair Drop by the MSU registration table & pick up your name badge, map of the layout, and schedule of district presentations Orient yourself to the facility and find a quiet area and review your district info, plan your strategy, etc. Break away from your group of friends if you arrived with one and take on the fair independently Don’t be intimidated by the initial “rush” of candidates! Observe how other candidates are approaching and interacting with districts…learn from them!

Plan of Attack Get there early and expect to stay all day Create a prioritized list of districts you most want to visit Try not to make the district you really want to work for your very first or very last stop If the line for a district is long, it may be more efficient to check back later in the day Give yourself some time to eat, take breaks, and write down notes throughout the day

General Guidelines at the Fair Maintain professionalism throughout the entire event— even when at lunch or walking to your car Take time between booths to write down some notes, get a drink, and collect your thoughts Reflect after each interaction with an employer and think about what went well and what you can do differently Pace yourself—you don’t have to visit all your booths in 30 minutes, but you also want to leave time for interviewing Be confident while also being yourself Utilize positive self-talk and encouragement Relax, deep breaths, and you will do great!

Approaching the Booth… Respect the privacy of others as you approach the booth Remember, you are “on stage” at all times, which includes standing in line and moving around the booth area Make eye contact immediately when introducing yourself Give a firm handshake to get you off to a good start Remember the recruiter’s name. If you forget, casually refer to their nametag. SMILE and be polite--show your enthusiasm!

Approaching the Booth Cont. Do not fidget or play with your hair Do not look around when talking or being spoken to Do not chew gum! Listen carefully to what the recruiter has to say! Avoid using filler words such as “um”, “like”, “you know” Show confidence in your voice Offer a resume Ask for a business card or write down the recruiters name Ask what the hiring procedure/timeline is for that district, you want to make sure you are doing it right!

What to Say… Introduce yourself with confidence! –Name –Licensure area –What you know about their school district –Provide them with a resume –Share some of your experiences that are relevant such as where you are student teaching, volunteer experience, etc. –Ask questions about their organization and positions available –Get a business card! Watch this video on Career Fair SuccessCareer Fair Success

Winding Down… Double check to ensure you’ve talked to all the districts of interest and you have their contact information Make any last minute notes from the day Ensure you have all of your belongings and you’re not leaving anything behind Regroup with friends, but remember to keep all talk positive and be professional

You Got an Interview!? GREAT! Have a 3-point agenda: 1) what am I looking for? 2) what do I have to offer this district? 3) what questions do I have for this particular district? Be a good listener as well as a good talker! Take your cues from the interviewer (when do I end my response? When is the interview over?) Generate & maintain interest by smiling and responding with SPECIFIC & CONCISE answers/examples…keep your voice lively, maintain a pleasant tone, & use humor appropriately Respond truthfully, while always painting a positive picture of yourself (ex. “I have not yet had the opportunity to…but in a similar situation I…”)

Interviewing Cont. Request school district information if you do not already have it, also request application materials & a copy of the interviewer’s business card Ask about the hiring process and a timeline…determine actual and potential openings Offer a firm handshake at the end of the interview Walk away with confidence, remember, you are still “on stage”! HINT: Immediately following the interview, go to a quiet area an make notes on topics of conversation, contact names, follow-up procedures, etc. Don’t rely on your memory for this! Watch a video

After the Fair Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Send a thank-you letter within 3 days of the eventthank-you letter Write to any prospective employers you are still interested in whether you talked with them at the Fair or not Follow-up with any employers in which you said you would Debrief--what would you do differently the next time? Keep good records of contact including dates of your s/phone calls and copies of all application materials which you send Don’t measure your success by the number of interviews that you have at the fair--all of your hard work will pay off, just be patient!

Additional Websites CDC Website with specific Education links (click on the link below, then “Education” and scroll down for K-12) earch_coe.html Yahoo Directory of K-12 Schools: U.S. Department of Education for Teachers:

Good Luck! See you at the Fair!