Tips to Get Ready for Job Fairs
Why should you attend a Job Fair?
Job Fairs are a chance to make important contacts with potential employers and to get information about current and future opportunities. They also serve as a great opportunity to meet with a variety of employers in one convenient location and explore career options you may otherwise have not considered.
Before the Fair:
- Get a list of organizations that are coming to the fair and research those organizations.
- Research each organization to learn more about their products, services, and current initiatives.
- Create your prioritized list of organizations that you would like to meet.
- Self-assessment: Know yourself and what you are hoping to get from the fair.
- Prepare and rehearse a brief summary of your qualifications, called an elevator pitch.
- Make an appointment to have your resume reviewed by a CAPE staff member.
- Prepare your fair attire (even in a virtual setting).
Day of the Fair:
- If you are attending a virtual Job Fair, find a quiet place for you to participate.
- Make a great impression.
- Do not chew gum.
- Maintain eye contact throughout your conversation and show enthusiasm.
- Ask for their business card.
- Demonstrate that you have done your research with a well-crafted elevator pitch.
- Be sure to ask questions.
- Offer your resume to the employer.
- Near the end of your conversation, ask how their hiring process works and what your next steps are.
- After you have spoken with the employers you are most interested in, take time to explore others you might not have considered.
After the Fair:
- Within 24 hours, send a customized thank you to the employers that are your best prospects.
- Mention something specific you discussed during your conversation.
- Follow up with those employers who asked or gave you specific instructions on tasks to complete.
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