Do you want that dream job? You’re taking a step in the right direction if you’ve decided to look for that job at a career fair. That said, attending a career fair is only the first step, and a baby step at that, in your quest to find the perfect job for you! You’re in luck if you’ve been a stellar student. Employers look for people like you when they go to career fairs. Now, you’re practically guaranteed to find your dream job if you do these 10 things.
Make sure that your profile is up-to-date – You’re wasting your time if you have an older professional profile when you attend a career fair.
- Make sure that the basic information is accurate and updated. These include your graduation date, school year, major, GPA, and work authorization.
- Be sure to pick only those job types, locations, and roles that you like and that suit you.
- This gives recruiters a heads-up regarding the jobs and internships that will be the best for you.
- Make sure that your courses, skills, and previous work experience are in your handshake profile.
Be aware of the types of employers who are attending – the virtual fairs details page will indicate this to you. Be sure to familiarize yourself with each employer by going to their handshake page. Remember that other student reviews are valuable sources of information regarding the true working conditions and nature of employers. Signing up for early sessions with these employers will guarantee you an interview spot.
Know all about the attending employers – go to the companies’ websites to learn as much as you possibly can about the employers. Don’t end your research there though. Research online to find out what other neutral sources have to say about the employers. Believe it or not, this is invaluable information that you can use to think of questions you want to ask and the subjects that you want to discuss in the interview sessions.
Have a few points for discussion ready – employers also want to know more about the students who they meet at career fairs. Prepare a brief ‘elevator pitch’ about yourself. This will include your background, education, career goals, be sure to spend plenty of time practicing before you start to talk to employers.
On the big day
- Dress for the position that you want – dress up. Wear business formal clothes. Remember that you only get one chance to impress the employers and that begins with what you wear. You may not be meeting them in person, but your appearances do make a powerful first impression regarding the type of employee that you’ll make once hired. You’ll even feel better about yourself and have more self-confidence if you dress up.
- Make sure to attend your virtual career fair in a place that’s quiet and has a neutral background – Employers dislike distractions. Make sure to maximize your chances of being hired by minimizing distractions as much as possible.
Tips during your virtual session
- Show up on time – time is money in the business world. Recruiters are very busy. They’ll appreciate it if you show up to your virtual session on time. It will show them that you respect them, their time, the employers that they work for.
- Maintain eye contact and be an active listener – be sure to smile and nod at least occasionally. Maintaining eye contact is necessary. It shows the recruiter that you care about him or her and what he or she has to say. It also shows the recruiter that you respect him or her. Recruiters look for these characteristics in employees when they are hiring. Since distractions can take your attention away, be sure to keep them to a minimum when you are attending the virtual session.
- Ask questions – have a list of prepared questions that you can ask the recruiter. Have several questions on the list. This will help guard against the employer answering any questions that may be on your list. Keep a pen and pieces of paper by you. It will help you jot down any new questions that may emerge during the session.
The next day
- Apply to as many open jobs and internships as possible – doing so will help keep the momentum that you created between yourself and the employers (during the virtual career fair) going. Check profiles regularly for updates on jobs and internships.
To learn more about Premier Virtual and the solutions we offer such as virtual career fairs, visit https://premiervirtual.com/ or call 561-717-9717.