3 WAYS TO WIN AT A CAREER FAIR

The economy must be improving, because I’ve noticed some announcements for career fairs. Yeah! How do you succeed at a career fair?

Let’s start with: what is a career fair? It is a place where many employers come together to look for prospective employees. The companies that attend have a need for people to come and work for them. They usually send the recruiter from the human resources department to work the fair. What exactly does this mean for you? It means they are looking for that one person to stand out from the crowd and be their answer to a job they have open.

This article is all about how YOU can be the answer to the company’s open job.

One: Be Prepared

When you enter a career fair, it will be crowded. People will probably be jostling each other. How do you stand out in this crowd? It starts at least two days prior to the job fair. In the notice are usually the top (meaning biggest) employers. See if you can find a more complete list. Then research those employers (big and small) that you want to work for in your field or job category. These are your target companies. Look at the “Jobs” page of these companies. Is there anything you qualify for there? Create a targeted résumé just for that job. If your job isn’t there, create a résumé for the job you want at that company. Put the company name in a cover letter to go to that company for that job at the job fair. Repeat for the top five to ten companies you qualify for and for where you want to work. Also, print out a few résumés that are more generic for other companies you discover at the fair.

This research will impress the recruiter. A mistake as simple as mispronouncing the name of the company, can be deadly. By knowing, how you can provide value to the company will sell you to the recruiter. It demonstrates you know for what they are looking. And, at an even more basic level, what they do and their concerns.

When you are at the target company booth at the career fair, be sure to meet the recruiter. Say your name slowly and understandably. Shake their hand and look them in the eye. Be pleasantly memorable. Ask for their business card (to send a follow up question, thank them for their time at the job fair and to remind about you to a specific job. Attach your résumé too.). Give them yours (another piece of paper to remind them about you). Talk about how your experience and skills match the job openings you researched. Ask about others that may not be posted online. If they have the time, ask when they anticipate interviewing for the job you targeted and one of those follow up questions you have during interviews. Listen to the answers they give you. Make notes during the meeting or between company booths, so you capture all the information they give you.

Remember too, recruiters only have so much time per person. If you go on too long, they will stop you. Don’t take it personally. If you acknowledge this up front in your conversation, “I know you need to see many people today. But, I just have a question. What is the status of the corporate training job?” Then they may be more willing to spend a minute answering your question. That may lead you to a follow up question.

If this whole face-to-face thing makes you nervous, practice at a company you didn’t do research at first. Practice the whole thing, or as much as you can. If it goes well, then it is time to launch at one of your targeted companies. If you flop, try again at another company before you go on to a target company. Remember, it likely will not be comfortable. So pay attention to the reactions you get from the recruiter. Do they engage with you, or do they keep scanning the crowd? Do they ask you questions? These are your measures of success.

Two: Dress for Success

Speaking of success. People will be watching people. Think of yourself as a walking, talking, breathing résumé. So mind your manners. You don’t know who will see you cuss at the person who just stepped on your foot or who you elbowed out of your way. Just because you don’t see the recruiter, doesn’t mean they didn’t see you.

Dress professionally. Choose one of your most conservative outfits to wear. Cover up any tattoos. Do all the personal hygiene stuff before you leave your home. Look like the professional you hope to be at their company. Look ready to go to work tomorrow. Look like you belong at their company. Yes, you will probably be dressed better than your average day at work, but looking ready to interview shows your commitment to working. It will make you stand out from all the people who just show up. Remember, studies show it only takes the first 10 seconds for someone to form opinions about you. Make your first impression a good one.

If you attend with your spouse or a job buddy, remember your goals. Your goals are to make a series of good impressions at your targeted companies. Then you canvass the fair for any jobs that may be a good fit for you. Then you pay attention to the person you came with to the fair. Agree to split up and met back at a certain time and location. This automatically means, do not take a child or baby to the career fair. Find someone for that time period. If you pay too much attention to your companion, you won’t maximize your attendance at the fair.

Stay focused and upbeat. Use your sense of humor and keep it in the crowds. It is easy to get distracted at a career fair. Smile frequently and often. Companies want happy and energetic employees. Look like one.

Three: Marketing 101

Among the details of research, behavior and résumés for attending a career fair above, I sprinkled some points about marketing yourself. A local public relations firm used a great definition of marketing in an advertisement for themselves.

“A great product without marketing is like winking in the dark. You know what you are doing, but no one else does.”

You are the Great Product. How you get that information to the recruiter is through your actions.

One of your actions is to have a short commercial about yourself. By short, I mean, 15-30 seconds. It should contain your name, how you are qualified for the job what you are looking for at that company. So, Name, qualifications, job. Something like the following (exclamation points equals smiles),

“Hi! My name is Lennon McCartney! I am a dynamic trainer and excellent curriculum developer for retail companies, with over 10 years of experience! I received my master’s degree in communications! At Widgets Unlimited, I created the entire curriculum in 15 different subjects and delivered training to all 150 employees. I am looking for a corporate training job with XYZ Company!”

Twenty seconds of pure gold. (She said modestly.) It can stand alone after each sentence. Name. Experience (what, type and how long). Education (if relevant). Job that I’m seeking. Additionally, come prepared with a challenge a former employer had and how you (and the team) solved this problem. Include how this solution saved the company: money, time, resources, etc.

You’ve done your homework and researched the company. You know what they want and you know what they do. You know how you fit into the company. Now, put yourself into a busy recruiter’s shoes for a minute. You’ve been standing for a couple of hours on a cement floor. You have a ton of work back at the office that is not getting done, because you are working the career fair. You are overwhelmed by all the people coming up to your booth wanting a job. You are hungry, thirsty and tired. How do you imagine a job seeker could stand out to this person? Right, by being the answer to a job opening.

You stand out by looking right for the company. First impression, remember? Then you pleasantly introduce yourself with your commercial. You acknowledge they are busy. You ask a relevant question. You get their business card for follow up. You thank them and say good-bye. You ARE the answer to their job opening!

You are no longer “winking in the dark.” With the business card in hand, go to your computer and send a thank you email to the recruiter. If they asked a question you didn’t have the answer for at the fair, answer it now. Type out your commercial, adjusting it to any new information you received at the career fair. Attach your résumé, just in case. Every action is telling the recruiter you are the right person for the job. Even if, your experience isn’t exactly what they are looking for, your actions are what they want in an employee. That gives you the winning edge.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com