It's worth your time attending a career fair

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Hi and welcome to a discussion about career fairs. Going to a career fair is a great way to start networking with people and get in touch with companies that are hiring. You'll get the opportunity to meet a wide variety of organisations and discuss employment opportunities with their representatives. Some career fairs also have workshops or seminars you can attend to improve your interview and job seeking skills.

If you're going to attend a career fair it's important to be prepared so consider the following.

Research

Before going to a career fair it's important to do some research on what companies will be there. You may not have enough time to see everyone. So by knowing beforehand who will be there you can prioritise who you want to see the most. Don't neglect the small companies. They may not be as exciting as the big guys but they can be great starting points.

Prepare your questions and answers

Prepare what questions you want to ask employers. Make sure you avoid asking about things that can easily be found on their website. This only wastes time that could be spent asking about things that could help you get the job. What kind of skills are required and desired, do they have any current openings, do they offer any training to their employees, and who you can contact to move forward with this opportunity and for follow up discussions.

Don't forget to prepare some answers as well. They'll probably want to know some things about you so prepare an elevator pitch. An answer that isn't too long and tells the employer who you are, what you're doing, and why you're interested in working for their company.

Dress appropriately

Just like a job interview it's important to look professional. Don't worry if you feel silly because other people are dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. You'll be more memorable then they are and show you're serious about finding a job.

On the day come prepared

On the day of the career fair make sure you bring multiple copies of your resume so you can hand them out, and bring writing material so you can take notes. When speaking to a company representative you're more likely to make a good first impression and get better information if you show enthusiasm. An employer isn't going to waste their time answering a lot of question for someone that doesn't look like they want to be there.

Follow Up

Recruiters will see a lot of people during the fair. So it's important to follow up with anyone you speak to and apply online for any jobs they spoke to you about.

If you decide to apply for a position with any of the organisations you spoke to, use the information you learnt to improve your application. If the recruiter mentioned a skill their company finds highly desirable talk about your experience in that area. If you learnt some new information about the company talk about why you found it interesting. Use anything you learnt to show you're interest in the company, and how you can bring value to the employer.

As always if you want any of the information talked about in this video. Check out the article on Let's Get Working, which contains information and links related to what we discussed. If you have any questions feel free to leave me a comment on YouTube, Facebook, or the Let's Get Working website, and I'll get back to you.

Until Next time, have a good day

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