This is the beginning of a few articles about…the everpresent recruiting event….that’s right….Job Fairs. It’s the ever present ritual of Recruiters meeting potential employees in a public setting. For many Recruiters and Job Seekers, it’s aritual dance…Job seekers walk by the Booths, Recruiters waiting for the JobSeekers to stop by…shaking hands, listening to elevator pitches, collecting resumes, a never ending ritual to replenish the companies ranks.
Here are several of what I call Do's...Things you would think are Common Sense ( However seldom practiced)
1) Have a prepared plan to maximize your time at the fair. Before the event, check the web site where the job fair was announced. Look to see if there is a list of companies and where their booth is located. Pick out the companies you are interested in visiting. A bonus would be a list of companies and WHO will be manning that booth. Google the name of the person and know a little bit about them ( I'll explain in a few why that is critical).
2) Register for the event early if at all possible and upload a copy of your resume ( Word.doc is usually preferred, however some events allow for PDF files) Those will be mad available to all companies that attend.
3) DO Dress Professionally!! One would think this is a "no-brainer" Sad to say ( having been on both sides) and personally witnessed many examples of folks that do not follow this advice. For Men: A conservative business suit or sportcoat, tie, khaki's....For Ladies: A Business suit, pants suit with sleeves and conservative top with appropriate neckline. Wear comfortable shoes ( That does not mean sneakers or stiletto's)The less jewelry the better.
4) Do bring plenty of resumes ( or a portfolio) to share with the recruiters. Make sure the resume are in a folder and that there are no creases in the resume. Before presenting any resume....Make Sure Your Resume is Up To Date!!, that there are no Gaps in the resume...
5) Do research the companies you want to visit. Go to their Web Sites. Learn about them and what they are all about. In addition, earlier I mentioned about knowing WHO will be at their companies booth. It could be a hiring manager. If you know something about them, use it to your advantage. Also be prepared to answer several basic interview questions.
6) Make sure you request a business card from the person you spoke with ( after all you are networking, in addition to seeking a job opportunity)
7) Make sure you have some sort of note-taking ability ( a day planner with pen/pencil or a PDA) If you are offered a meeting or interview make sure you record it and do it in front of the recruiter so that you can confirm the meeting.
8) Make sure you have several "elevator pitches" that you can give while meeting with different companies. Never limit yourself to just one....
There are more Do's that I will discuss in my next post....
These all are very and important to make the best of job fairs and to help your resume not get lost in mile high stacks. Great Post Bob!!
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