I hope that things are going well, and that everyone is still managing to stay afloat despite our daily dose of dismal economic news. The topic for today...you guessed it!
Since most schools (and cities) have great resources, they set up some form of a career fair to help their students meet recruiters. I got my main internship offer from a CF, and so I really hope that you attend and give it a chance.
Here are things to take to the career fair:
1. 8-10 Copies of your Resume (not including your top 8- see #2)
2. A list of top 8 companies you want to attract, and cover letters and resumes stapled together for each of those companies (I order these alphabetically by company name since there is a lot of chaos on the day of the CF)
3. A notepad and pen to take notes in (notes such as contact information, or when you are supposed to call someone)
4. A place to store a representative's card.
2. A list of top 8 companies you want to attract, and cover letters and resumes stapled together for each of those companies (I order these alphabetically by company name since there is a lot of chaos on the day of the CF)
3. A notepad and pen to take notes in (notes such as contact information, or when you are supposed to call someone)
4. A place to store a representative's card.
And Just a few rules that we occasionally forget:
* Decipher your terrain - When you go in, read the map, learn where your top 8 companies are, and then, decide your plan for moving through the fair efficiently, keeping your priorities in mind.
* Dress Appropriately - Even if you think no one is going to care, you never know. Wear professional attire.
* Be respectful of stationary - I will never forget the story I heard about a student walking away with a rep's globe that he himself bought, out of good will, to decorate his company table! Point is, (especially if it looks really valuable), ask before taking something, and don't "fill up" on any of the giveaways.
* Master The Approach - Say hello, make eye contact and then present your resume. Employers report that they get the following a lot - Student X hands their resume, and then says nothing while the rep goes over the resume, forcing the company representative to initiate the conversation. How is this different from submitting your resume online? Point is, Take Initiative, and establish good contact (use the 45 second pitch if you need help!).
* Before and After - Do your homework -
Before: Learn a bit about the company you are interested in, and a lot about their products and competitive differentiators (ie, what makes this company different from their competition.
After: Follow Through (see previous blog)!
If nothing else, remember to be courteous and professional. Good Luck.
Next Entry - Mastering the Art of a Winning Cover letter!
1 comments:
Thanks for the awesome career fair advice. I will follow it for our CF this month!
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