HOW TO EFFECTIVELY MARKET YOURSELF AT JOB FAIRS

PREPARATION  Preparing Yourself Gives You a Distinct Advantage in the Eyes of Employers  Most of Your Peers Will Put Little Effort into Preparing for the Fair

DEFINE YOUR CAREER OBJECTIVES  Employers Desire Candidates That Know What They Want Consider Writing Out a Typical Job Description and listing Major Job Functions and Skills If You are Unsure About Your Career Options, Your Career Services Office Can Help You Define a Career Direction

RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION  Employers Perceive “Researching the Company” as a Critical Factor in Evaluating Candidates Researching Reflects Interest, Energy, Initiative, Motivation and Enthusiasm A Majority of Your Peers Will Not Do This Target Your Resume and Conversation for each Employer, Matching Your Experiences, Academic Background and Skills to the Position(s) You’re Interested In

RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION  Locate Company/Organization Websites Try to capture the following items of basic information: age, services or products, competitors, growth pattern, reputation, divisions and subsidiaries, location, length of time established there, size, number of employees, sales, assets and earnings, new products or projects, number of locations, and foreign operations Review Job Descriptions Secure Keywords, Mission/Purpose Statement, etc.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR PREPARATION  Sign Up for a Mock Interview at Career Services  Dress Professionally and Err on the Side of Conservative Dress Read “Interview Dress” in Job Choices – Diversity Edition 2013 (pp 46) for Specific Tips on How to Dress  Purchase a Professional Portfolio  Create Multiple Copies of Your Targeted Resume(s)

WORKING THE FAIR Make Contact With As Many Employers as Possible and Don’t Limit Yourself to Talking With a Few Employers Setup: Each Employer Will Have a Separate Display Booth to Meet with Students and Provide Information Prioritize the Employers You’re Going to Visit into “A-B-C” Categories Plan to Meet With A Few “B” and “C” Employer(s)…Then Go After Those “A” Employers

WORKING THE FAIR Make Good Use of Your Time If You Encounter a Long Line at an Employer of Interest, Seek Out Employers Who Are Less Busy and Then Return While Waiting in a Short Line, Review the Information You Have Picked Up from Other Employer’s Tables Interact With Other Candidates by Exchanging Information About Employers Each Has Made Contact With

WORKING THE FAIR When Meeting with Employers: Greet each Employer With a Firm Handshake Show Enthusiasm and Confidence - Smile! Give Concise Answers to Employer Questions. Cite Successful Examples of Your Experience in High Impact Practices such as Internships, Campus Employment, Study Abroad, and Undergraduate Research as well as Organizations, etc. that Match/Support the Major Job Functions and Skills of Your Position(s) of Interest. Focus on Meeting Employer Needs. In Most Cases, Your Opportunity to Talk With each Employer Will be Brief. You Will Have 1-3 Minutes to Present Your Qualifications

WORKING THE FAIR Prepare Questions for Each Employer Your Best Questions are Those That Are Created From Doing Your Research Ask the Employer About the Hiring Process and Timelines Ask for the Employer’s Business Card in order to Gather The Information You will Need for Follow-Up Correspondence Thank the Interviewer for Taking the Time to Meet with You

POST FAIR MUSTS Remind Each Employer of Your Qualifications Relative to the Experiences and Skills the They are Seeking Affirm Your Continued Interest in Working for their Organization Forward a Follow-up Hand-written Letter or to each Employer in Which You May Be Interested. See “The Art of Writing Job Search Letters” in Job Choices – Diversity Edition 2013 (page 29)

POST FAIR MUSTS Employers Will Typically Invite You for a Formal Interview before Extending You an Offer If you Receive a Job Offer at the Fair, We Strongly Recommend That You Request Some Time to Consider the Offer Consult with Career Services and/or Significant Others for Feedback/Advice Formal Job Offers Are Rarely Extended at the Fair

POST FAIR MUSTS Continue to Follow-Up With Employers of Interest!! Be Sure to Contact Those Organizations That You Have Not Heard From!! Employers Value Persistence Greatly!!