Job Seekers- 6 Steps to Make a Career Fair Great

In today's digital age, it's pretty common for job seekers to submit a resume online and allow themselves to be screened solely by the online submission process. When you make the choice to attend a career fair, you get the chance to take your job hunt a little farther than the online search- you can personally hand your resume to a recruiter, rather than hope it will get through the online submission. For this reason, it's important to maximize the little amount of time you get to spend with a representative at a career fair. You may only have a few minutes to make an impression on a potential employer, and you want to make sure you really shine.

With the right attitude, anything is possible. Here's a few tips to make a great impression at a career fair.

1. Dress professionally. Whether you wear a suit, a skirt, or a tie, make sure it's professional looking, neat, and clean- and make sure to iron whatever you wear. Ladies, avoid anything too short or revealing; men, avoid jeans or sneakers. You want to give the impression that you care about your image and that you can present yourself in a professional manner, both of which are qualities that employers look for.

2. Make positive eye contact. Showing a potential employer that you are confident is important, and you can do this by maintaining eye contact. While you don't need to stare the representative down, you should definitely make sure you look the person in the eye while talking to them. Looking at the ceiling or the ground tends to make you seem nervous or shifty, and can make you seem unapproachable or unwilling to talk. Employers want to see you have confidence in yourself and confidence speaking to people you are unfamiliar with- after all, when you start a new career, you won't be familiar with everyone, and you're going to need to be confident talking to new people.

3. Smile. Similar to making eye contact, smiling is a great way to show a recruiter that you are approachable and friendly. Smiling will put both you and the person you are speaking to at ease- it relaxes the muscles in your face and can prevent you from looking worried or nervous, which in turn will trick your mind into feeling less nervous.

4. Talk to everyone. When you attend a career fair, chances are that you might not see the ideal company you're looking to work for there. Sometimes companies can't make the scheduled date or the selection just isn't what you hoped it would be. Don't give up! Though you may be dismayed at the number of companies in attendance, many companies will be at a career fair recruiting for multiple positions and departments- and that position just might be the one you were hoping for. If you don't talk to representatives, there's a good chance you'll miss out on all the opportunities they are offering. Bring a stack of resumes and make sure you shake hands with everyone that you can. Who knows, even if they aren't recruiting your ideal job at the fair you're attending, they might keep your resume on file and keep you in mind when they open up new positions. Stay positive and make a good impression.

5. Grab business cards. When you submit a resume online, often the submission process leaves you in the dark about who you're directly submitting it to- you may know the company or the department you sent it to, but sometimes it's difficult to find a person to talk to to check the status of your application. As mentioned before, the great thing about career fairs is the ability to get face to face with recruiters and representatives. You'll be able to shake hands and take names. Make sure you make the most out of that connection- grab their business card and follow up after the career fair. Talk to the people you meet at the fair and ask them for the names of the hiring managers in the departments you're looking for a position in.

6. Stay positive. Even if you don't find what you're looking for, the important thing is not to get down on yourself. There's an ideal job for you out there, you just might need to keep looking. Try not to get discouraged, and try to keep your attitude upbeat, especially when you're talking to recruiters and representatives. As previously mentioned, even if they're not hiring in your field, if they like you and the impression you made, they will keep you in mind for the future.

So get out there, job seekers, and put your best foot forward. With some resumes, a smile, and a positive attitude, there's no telling what kind of connection you'll make at a career fair. Dress nice, talk to everyone, and be sure to follow up- you never know who you'll impress.

0 Response to "Job Seekers- 6 Steps to Make a Career Fair Great"

Post a Comment

Powered by Blogger