Employers tell us that the people who stand out at a fair are those that do their research. They don't expect you to know everything about them, but knowing a little may get you a long way.

NEW for 2014 – My Schedule My Schedule makes it easy for you to research employers and prepare for these events 1. Go to Choose your fair 3. Register for the event 4. Create your own personalised schedule: filter employers by vacancy and/or industry (Don’t overlook names that you don't recognise, they may have just the job for you!) discover graduate jobs, placements & internships star employers that interest you save notes, questions and answers connect with employers through social media Set up alerts to remind you of presentations

1.FILTER the exhibitor list to identify employers in your area of interest.

2.Select an employer and read the company overview. 3. STAR the employers that you wish to speak with by clicking the star icon – this creates a shortlist in My Schedule. 4.Click the NOTES tab to save questions that you want to ask on the day or to make notes – you can access these from My Notes. 5.Connect with employers on social media and stay up-to-date!

My Schedule allows you to create a personalised shortlist for the day, which you can access from your phone/tablet at the event.

Quick Tips Once you’ve identified employers that interest you do some extra research (search relevant news items, read social media posts, google them!) Start to complete their application form - you don’t have to complete it (or write anything at all); it’s just a great way to get an initial sense of their application process and the kind of qualities they’re looking for in a candidate. Make a note of particular questions that you want to ask each employer – use the Notes facility in My Schedule. Be reasonable about the number of employers you can see in one day.

What do you want from the fair? If you know what you want to achieve then you can tailor your approach to get the information that you need. Just starting to look at career opportunities? Talk to exhibitors about the type of work that their organisation does and what the employment options are. I have a few career ideas. Target exhibitors that interest you and find out what qualifications/skills that you will need to get a job. Ask about work shadowing or work experience opportunities. I know what I want to do. Find out as much as you can about them and the jobs / work experience they offer BEFORE you go to talk to them. This will help you demonstrate a genuine interest and enthusiasm for their organisation.

Prepare what you will say Think about your  Strengths  Knowledge  Abilities  Skills  career aims. Once you've started a conversation you'll need to answer any questions that an employer has for you. Think about what they might ask you.

Approaching employers Use the floor plan provided on the day to locate the stands that you want to visit. Exhibitors don’t bite! Persistence can pay off (there may be queues) Ask your prepared questions - show employers the preparation you have done. Use the Notes facility in My Schedule to jot down answers to your questions Thank people for their time and information shared Get contact details X Don't be swayed by the ‘freebies’

And remember Whilst it is not compulsory to dress smart it does reflect a professional attitude.

Find out more: /sheffieldcareersf s