Any spare time I've had in the last week has been consumed by writing and rewriting a résumé and cover letter for an internship. Let me tell you, it's tedious work, finding an internship or job in the real world. Fortunately for me, this is just a temporary thing. I'm not selling my soul to a company permanently. I still have time to be a playful college student having a "fake" job. However, someday the time will come that I'll graduate and put on a nice business suit and start interviewing to find a job that I will devote eight hours to every day. And, today, hundreds of potential spring 2010 USU graduates will do just that at the Career Fair (10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the TSC). For those of you considering attending or are simply preparing for the eminent job hunt in the future, here are some tips for success at job fairs and expos.
1. Research Organizations View the list of organizations attending the fair at www.usu.edu/career, identify the ones you are most interested in and visit their Web sites. Browse their sites to get a better feel for what the company is like and then compile a list of the organizations you'd like to visit.
2. Prepare Your Résumé You already know how important résumés are, just be sure to spend time and effort on this important document. Fairs and expos are different than applying for specific jobs because a more general, broad résumé is OK. USU Career Services offers drop-in résumé edits daily from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For more information about perfecting your résumé, check out the article published in Monday's Statesman.
3. Dress for Success Even though you may be stopping by the fair in between classes, if you are serious about finding a job from the fair, then dress professionally. This is the first impression future employers will have of you, so consider coming prepared for the job you would like to get. Business casual is recommended.
4. Prepare your Approach and Introduction Be sure to grab a name badge at the entrance of the fair and list your name, major and graduation date. Visit the booths you are most interested in early in the day. Be brave and introduce yourself by smiling, making eye contact and giving a brief "commercial" about yourself: your name, major, experience and a request to learn more about their company. Ask if you can give them a résumé and ask for a business card so you can follow up later. Meeting an employer face to face is incredibly valuable as you follow up later.
5. Ask Questions Be prepared to ask questions. What's the application process like? What skills are they interested in? What kind of additional skills or experiences would set you apart? Finally, if the organization is staying for interviews, be prepared to ask to schedule and interview.
6. Follow-up After meeting the employer, follow up as soon as possible with a phone call, e-mail or letter. Thank them again for meeting with you and answering your questions, and then state your interest in pursuing a position again and request the opportunity to meet with them again in greater detail. Having face-to-face contact at the fair will help you get a foot in the door. If you're attending the fair, best of luck. If you're still plugging away at school, consider these suggestions and plan to maximize opportunities in the future at job fairs. Have more suggestions? Let me know by commenting below.
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