Learn How To Succeed At Career Fairs

This career article will give you some great tips on successfully navigating thru career fairs.

This issue will quickly cover the following:

A) Purpose of Career Fairs

B) How To Best Prepare

C) Tips & Strategies During The Fair

D) Career Fair Follow-Up

A) PURPOSE OF CAREER FAIRS

Career fairs are designed to provide job seekers a way to explore career opportunities within a variety of companies at one location.

Job seekers should take advantage of these fairs to be better informed about the job market. Career fairs must be a part of your overall job search process. It's a great way to learn about job openings, research companies and practice your interviewing and networking skills.

B) HOW TO BEST PREPARE
Its important to make the most of your time at career fairs. Therewill be many employers and even more job seekers vying for attention so its critical that you prepare in advance of setting foot into the career fair.

Here are 5 tips that can help you be well prepared:

#1 - PRIORITIZE
Find out what companies are going to be attending prior to the day of the career fair and identify and prioritize the top companies that youndefinitely want to visit.

#2 - RESEARCH
Spend a little time researching these companies; the more you know the better. Use the Internet, library, etc. Employers love talking to candidates who are familiar with their company and business. It also makes you look smart. Candidates who are knowledgeable about a company come across as intelligent and interested.

#3 - YOUR RESUME
Create and/or refine your resume and bring many, many clean, crisp copies to handout. This is very imporant!

#4 - APPROACH
Create a one-minute introduction that summarizes your skills, goals, experience, etc. Practice this until you are comfortable using this as your opening. The career fair will present many mini interviews and you need to be prepared for this. Anticipate interview questions and practice your responses.

#5 - APPEARANCE
Dress professionally ? don't wear shorts and sandals. Use good judgement in what you wear and project professionalism. Bring a nice folder to carry your resumes and a notepad and pen for taking notes.

C) TIPS & STRATEGIES DURING THE FAIR
Follow these tips below and you are on your way to a more productive career fair.

- Relax and plan on spending time at the fair. Career fairs are not that frequent so plan your time well. Try to avoid standing in long lines. Go early if possible because the first hour is usually the slowest.

- Always request business cards or at least get an email address so that you can follow-up and pursue leads.

- When you get to actually talk to a company representative ? remember to shake hands firmly and introduce yourself. This is your chance to make the best first impression.

- Be mentally prepared with a list of question to keep the conversation flowing. Ask about the company, the industry, what job opportunities exist, etc. Always try to relate your skills and experience to the company or jobs that may be open at the company.

- Visit companies outside your industry. You will be surprised at how many companies hire in all types of professions (ie. hospitals, banks, etc.)

- Visit your lower priority companies first. This way you can practice and fine tune your approach. When you are ready, then proceed to the top priority employers on your list.

- Network! Talk to both employers and other job candidates. If youare standing in line, don't be shy talk to the people in line. More jobs are filled by networking than any other means.

- Conduct yourself with a professional manner at all times. Employers are watching at all times. So when you are walking around or waiting in line, always maintain professionalism.

- Be aware of time. Don't stand and monopolize an employer's time. Its not good for them or for you. Ask specific questions, get to the point and most importantly get the contact information for later follow-up.

D) CAREER FAIR FOLLOW-UP
Its important to keep yourself fresh in the mind of the employers.To do this, you must send follow-up or thank you letters within two days. Always refer to the date and location of the job fair. Try and highlight any part of the conversation that stood out to make it easy for them to remember you. Always include a copy of your resume. You might also want to follow-up with a phone call.

Also its important to re-group after a career fair and evaluate your experience. Try and understand what you did right and what can be improved upon, as this will help you be more productive at the next fair.

Most importantly, just have a very positive attitude. Always have a smile and thank each person you speak to for his/her time. You have something to sell and employers are there to shop around, and vice versa.

This article can also be read directly online at: http://www.worktree.com/newslett er/career-and-job-fairs.html

Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger,
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com
"Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"

Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com. Nathan has over 10 years experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor. Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his articles have helped thousands of job seekers.

---

How to Overcome Being Overqualified

Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident... Read More

How to Choose Your Ideal Career

They say that most people do complete and total career... Read More

Job Search Lessons From The Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is a game but, like sports in... Read More

Ten Courses Of Study If You Want To Be Your Own Boss

For many Americans, an important component of the American Dream... Read More

20 Ways to Advance Your Career

To survive and thrive in today's competitive environment, it is... Read More

How To Write A Resume, Avoid These Resume Mistakes

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #1NEVER USE THE WRONG PAPER!... Read More

Mastering The Lunch Interview

Interviews can be nerve-racking, brain-draining, headache-inducing experiences. These days, recruiters... Read More

Cross Cultural Interviews

At this moment in time, the increase in cross border... Read More

It is Still Possible to be Upwardly Mobile in America!

Yes, it's still possible to be upwardly mobile in America:... Read More

Top 5 Tips for College Grads Entering the Working World

1) Build a Relationship With Your Boss:Like it or not,... Read More

Best Strategy Using Internet Job Search Engines

Best Strategy using Internet Job Search EnginesThere are hundreds of... Read More

How to Make More Job Contacts Faster, through Viral Marketing

Are you in the job market? Sick of every blog-byte... Read More

Dissatisfied with Your Job? Take Your Power Back!

Apparently, there are all sorts of reasons to be dissatisfied... Read More

Telephone Job Interview Preparation Tips

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUNDTelephone interviews are quite common in today's job... Read More

5 Key Factors to Consider When Selecting an Outplacement Firm

With today's economy, more and more companies are... Read More

How to Write Cover Letters That Increase Your Chances of Winning an Interview

Submit a poorly written cover letter and the chances are... Read More

Where Will Your IT Staff Come From NOW?

The labor recession is over. During the course of the... Read More

Surviving Unemployment Through Emotional Damage Control

Looking for work is a roller-coaster ride: high with elation... Read More

Interview Preparation

The dreaded job interview is the Number 1 source of... Read More

Do Your Very Best in All Things -- Because Someone Is Looking....

Your job is to rise ABOVE the challenge. Do more... Read More

In Control - Inside Tips on Interview Success

No, you can't control how the interview will be conducted,... Read More

Where Do I Go From Here?

Making Your Future Work Better For YouIt's the commonest concern... Read More

How to Terminate an Employee and Live to Tell the Tale

1. Employee Backdrop in AustraliaThe whole arena of Industrial Relations... Read More

Job Interviews: What to Wear

It takes between seven and seventeen seconds for a person... Read More

Hello Work World, Im Un-Retiring

For many years, you looked forward to that day when... Read More

Knowing and Guessing

The line between average and exceptional work performance is dotted... Read More

Interview Quicksand

How will you respond when you're asked the following two... Read More

Five Facts You Must Know When Changing Careers

Too often in life, we fail. We fail not because... Read More

3 Questions No Job Seeker Ever Wants To Be Asked?

Employer and interviewers expect you to answer tough question during... Read More

3 Reasons To Hire From Outside Your Industry

While at times it may prove comfortable and convenient to... Read More

Protect Your Business by Performing a Background Check

The success of a business endeavor involves a concerted efforts... Read More

Is a Career Change on Your Horizon?

Making a career change is nothing new in today's job... Read More

Working in Dubai

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is one of the... Read More