Career Fair – Let the Hunt Begin!

A new season of job fair is about to start which can give you great opportunity to grab internship interview calls and network with employees. Where your classmates will be looking at this job fair as a mock round for the next job fair, we want our students to get the maximum benefits from it and secure as many interview calls as possible.

What you need to do BEFORE job fair?

1.  Prepare your greeting:

You will not get much time to introduce yourself to the employer, therefore it’ll be difficult to have a lasting impression. Practice a quick pitch that summarizes your skills and experience so that you’re ready to promote your candidacy to prospective employers. With your quick pitch, you’ll be able to enthusiastically explain who you are, what your skills are, and describe your career goals. So be ready – write up your pitch and rehearse it over and over. The more you practice this pitch beforehand, the more confident you’ll feel delivering it at the job fair.

Example – Hello, I’m full name. I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Computer Engineering specializing in Security and Cloud Computing. I have completed several projects such as the creating a password manager, Intrusion detection in Multipath TCP and Linux filesystem. Currently I am working as teaching assistant for VLSI. I’m very interested in bringing my design, analytical and teamwork skills to company name this summer. Could you please tell me about internship opportunities with your company?

 

2.  Research companies:

Many job fairs and career expos have information on participating companies on the job fair website. Get yourself prepared to talk to hiring managers by checking out the company’s website, mission, open positions, and general information before you go.

If you demonstrate knowledge about each company or manager you’re talking to, you’ll certainly stand out from the crowd. You may also be able to come up with a couple of questions to ask the hiring managers, which also makes a favorable impression.

 

3.  Look out for fair maps:

Try to get access of site map with details on company booth number. Every university has their Android and iOS applications as well. Download them well in advance. Mark the researched companies and plan your visit to these company. There will be hundreds of company attending job fair and it is impossible to approach all of them, so plan your visit.

 

4.  Questions to ask:

While researching about the company, make a note of possible questions that you can ask the recruiters. There are four possible types of questions –

 

Strategic Planning Questions : These questions are designed to give the your more information and knowledge about the hiring process for each particular company.

Example:
What kind of entry-level positions (or internships) exist within your organization?
Does your company hire on a continual basis or just at certain times of the year?
How long does the hiring process take? What does it consist of?
What percent of applicants are eventually hired? What is the retention rate?

 

Key Company Information Questions : These questions are designed to provide you with critical inside information you need to know when making a decision about the attractiveness of each potential employer.

Example:
Talk about XYZ product and ask about the product working.
Are there specific career tracks within the organization?
Are there opportunities for ongoing training through your organization?
Do you expect your employees to relocate? How much travel is involved?

 

Recruiter Information Questions : Ask these question only if the recruiter is an alum of your university or you have some other personal connection.
How long have you been with the company?
What’s the one thing that most surprised you about this company?

 

5.  Prepare for interview questions:

Companies like Yahoo, Google, FaceBook are likely to ask interview question when you meet them during the job fair itself. It is one of the way in which they filter candidates and also provide opportunity to deserving candidates. So make sure you are prepared for these questions well before the fair.

 

6.  Take extra copies of your resume:

Bring more than you need, as some companies may want more than one copy. If you have multiple job objectives, make sure you bring enough versions of each resume, and of course, be sure your resume is well-written and free of errors. We would recommend to carry 30 copies of your resume.

 

7.  Dress for success:

While you may be a college student now, employers are looking to hire professionals. Wearing something besides jeans and a sweatshirt will go a long way toward establishing a lasting good first impression.

What you can do DURING job fair?

1.  Arrive Early:

Keep in mind that lines can be long, so arrive early, before the fair officially opens. You’re better off standing in line outside so you can get in right away than arriving later and walking right in the doors but being stuck with long lines at each table.

 

2.  Follow your map:

After arriving early and checking in, meet recruiters from top companies as soon as possible. Later there will be huge line to network with them. Also, follow a sequential pattern so that you do not miss any possible opportunity.

 

3.  Take notes:

It’s hard to keep track when you’re meeting with multiple employers in a busy environment. Jot down notes on the back of the business cards you have collected or on your notepad, so you have a reminder of whom you spoke to about what.

 

4.  Network with fellow student:

While you’re waiting in line, talk to others and exchange resume. You never know who might be able to help with your job search. Along the same lines, remember to stay polite and professional.

 

5.  Do not waste time collecting goodies :

Try to meet recruiters and network with them initially and collect goodies at the end of job fair.

 

6.  Avoid long queue:

Don’t stand in long queue. Check out the companies where the queue is short and try to meet the recruiters during down times where they can give you full attention.

 

7.  Do not go to any job/staffing consultancies:

Many staffing companies also attend job fair. Avoid wasting time on them and stay focussed on good companies.

 

8.  Try to get personal contact information of company representatives:

This will give you all the information you need to get in touch with this person if necessary and to send a thank-you note for the time the representative spent with you. Believe it or not, many candidates have secured the job because of a thank-you note.

What you need to do AFTER job fair?

1.  Follow up with company representatives:

Send a thank-you note after the fair, preferably, within 2 days. Review your interested companies and qualifications for the job and promise to follow-up with a Phone Call, LinkedIn or Email. You can also attach another copy of your resume to the LinkedIn or Email. Connect with them via LinkedIn. Avoid connecting via Facebook or Twitter. It’s more of a social media platform to connect with friends or family.

 

2.  Apply to visited companies:

Apply to the companies that you have visited during job fair on your college job portal as well as their company website and mention the conversation you had with the company representative in your cover letter.

Best of Luck!