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Tips on What to Do at a Career Fair

Career fairs are one the best ways to get out there and learn about potential job opportunities. Not only can you meet your potential employers face to face, gain valuable information before an interview, and network; but you can also make sure employers remember you as hire-worthy, instead of just another resume to sift through in their office.

If you’ve never been to a career fair or perhaps never got the particular results you were looking for at one, not to fear-because we offer the best tips below on approaching a career fair to help you get the job you want.

Research: First and foremost, find out which companies are set to be on the roster at the career fair you are interested in, and do your research on them before you even go. Visit their website, read online reviews, and even visit the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any negative complaints against them recently. This way, you not only know which companies to avoid and which ones to go after; but you also get a chance to wow them with how much you already know about them when you approach them at the fair.

                                                                  Dress to Impress: Also extraordinarily important to your success at a                                                                   career fair is your ability to make a good first impression. The first                                                                   piece to a fantastic first impression? How you are dressed. No                                                                   matter what your industry or position that you are looking to secure,                                                                   you must always be dressed professionally if you want any shot at                                                                   getting a job. Though sometimes you may be unsure about just how                                                                   professional you should dress, you can never over dress for an                                                                   interview-and the same applies to career fairs. Along with dressing                                                                   appropriately, you should ensure that your hair, face, skin, and nails                                                                   are clean and not sloppy-looking.

                                                                  Prepare Questions: Make sure before you go to a job fair that you                                                                   prepare a list of general and company-specific questions-just as you                                                                   would with a regular interview. This way you can learn valuable                                                                   information that will help you make a more informed decision                                                                   regarding where you want to work, but it also makes you look                                                                   interested and enthusiastic as a potential job candidate to potential                                                                   employers.

Be Selective: Though you may think that you are not being watched while at a career fair-you are. Potential employers are not only paying attention to the interviewees in their booths, but they are also surveying the crowd for prospective employees. This is why it is doubly important that they don’t see you picking up info and freebies from every booth in the fair. This makes you look desperate if not unselective, and not at all the type of candidate that they would like to see fill their position.

Have a Pitch: This is true of regular interviews but this also applies to career fairs as well. You should develop a concise and effective sales pitch of what you offer the potential employer and why they need you to fill the position. Have this message ready before the career fair, so that you can get your skills, experience, and valuable attributes across to the employer in a short amount of time.

Business Cards: Lastly, make sure that after you speak or interview with a potential employer that you ask for their business card. Typically, an employer will give you a business card in the beginning of an interview, but if they do not-make sure to ask them for one. This not only gives you their contact info to follow up with them later to inquire about their positions, but it also allows you send them a thank you email or letter-which employers always like.