Productive job seekers can use this tool to get ahead.
Well, this is it--the big meeting. After waiting for months, you finally have the opportunity to speak face-to-face with the Hiring Representatives of that company you've dreamed of working for since graduation. You check your suit, read over the highlights on your resume, and make your approach. Flashing that bright smile, you offer a friendly handshake and introduce yourself. You and the recruiter engage in a wonderful conversation. You share your knowledge of the company, your qualifications, and your reasons for wanting to join their prestigious firm. Afterwards, you stand, shake hands again, tell them you look forward to meeting again in the future, and confidently walk away, composing your thank-you note with every step.
All of this takes place in just under 8 minutes.
Amazing, you say? Impossible? Quite to the contrary, this mini-interview is just the type of meeting most jobseekers should expect to encounter when they present themselves to companies at a job fair.
Master the Details
This may be the best way to find out which companies are really on the prowl for hot new talent.
A job fair is a wonderful tool for learning about companies and showcasing your talent. Once sponsored only by colleges--and held exclusively for future graduates--the job fair itself has graduated to new types and levels. It is now sponsored by many different organizations and hosted at many different venues. These kinds of job fairs are the most common:
- Industry-specific. These forums are designed for people who specialize in one particular field (such as education, healthcare, or light industry) and are often sponsored by related associations that want to attract new talent to the field.
- Company. Many companies host private fairs to recruit specific positions.
- City- or County-sponsored. Based on internal employment numbers or the need to attract new businesses to their region, many local government agencies hold job fairs that attract local companies. They are designed to recruit new employees from the local resident population.
- Department of Labor. In addition to ongoing job listings, most local Labor Departments will host an event for employers to meet with those faceless, would-be employees who scour the want ads.
- Cyber. This is the latest in job-hunting technology. Many career Web sites are hosting "e-fairs," where employers can post their employment opportunities and, for a limited amount of time, jobseekers can browse their listings (via a password) and apply. This is a convenient option for those seeking relocation possibilities.
- Campus-based. Of course, there's the Granddaddy of them all, the College Campus Job Fair. Designed to help upcoming graduates secure employment, schools often restrict the participation of unenrolled jobseekers. If the public is welcome, however, this may be the best way to find out which companies are really on the prowl for hot new talent.
Using Your Resources
For Erica Tinker, a recent graduate of Clark Atlanta University, finding the opportunity to sit with several companies at once is a real advantage for someone seeking entry-level employment.
"I like the idea of asking questions and answering them," she says, "without feeling like I'll make or break the opportunity. Because I know that companies at job fairs are usually there to select several candidates for future interviews. It's also a chance for me to see if I want to pursue employment with that company further." Erica has been to several job fairs since receiving her Master's in Marketing, interviewing with many companies, and can now choose between several offers. She credits job fairs with her search success.
"The job fair is like a live presentation of a resume," says Rebecca Fletcher of Future Builder Career Consulting in Washington, DC. "Like a resume, there are only a few minutes given to each applicant in order to sell yourself, and you have to make those minutes count." How do you do that? Fletcher offers a few basic tips:
- Remember the old law: your smile is your calling card. However, don't wait until you're in the recruiter's face to use it. Assume that they're watching you walk up to their table. Use energy and enthusiasm. You should be smiling 10 feet before you shake their hand.
- Act like this is the big one. If it helps you relax, feel free to remind yourself that this is just step one, but don't get so comfortable and casual that you lose your energy.
- Dress the part. No matter what type of job fair you are attending, or for what kinds of jobs, dressing for success is crucial. Any employer wants to feel confident that they employ professional people. This is your opportunity to display your understanding of professionalism.
- Finally, sell it. Don't wait to hear "tell me about yourself and why would you choose our company" before outlining your qualifications. You have just a few minutes to make them want to place your resume in the callback pile.
Sharon Daugherty used to help people face career challenges as a College Career Placement Specialist. She now writes full-time on the topic of career development and works with individuals to plan their job search strategies.
