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Recently, I attended a local job fair and spoke to several of the employers to solicit their response to the following question: "If you were to offer one tip for job seekers attending a job fair, what would it be?"
The two answers given most frequently? "Dress professionally" and "Communicate what you want and what you have to offer." This seemed like common sense to me, but considering how many employers mentioned these two things, it occurred to me maybe it goes beyond common sense and falls into the category of "you don't know what you don't know."
So, for those who don't know, here are 10 valuable tips to help job seekers find success at job fairs.
1. Dress Professionally
The general rule of thumb is to dress one level above the job for which you are applying, or what the usual dress code is for the companies you're interested in. For some, this may mean a suit and tie; for others a pair of khakis, polo shirt, or button-down collar. It's not okay to "pop in" to a job fair on your way home from the gym or grocery store. Plan your attire carefully. Choose a color that accentuates your best features and make sure it is comfortable. Sneakers and flip flops are never acceptable.
2. Communicate What You Want And What You Have To Offer
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Employers are amazed at how many people attend job fairs hoping the employer will play the role of a career counselor or engage in a game of "20 Questions." Prior to attending a job fair, prepare a 30-second introduction and career overview, also known as your "personal branding statement." Include the following:
- The kind of work you do
- The number of years of experience you have and in what industry(ies)
- Some of your areas of expertise and/or key skills
- What you hope to find in your next job/do next in your career
Write it down and practice it until it rolls off your tongue and feels comfortable.
3. Know What The Company Does
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Look up the sponsor(s) of the job fair, find out which companies will be there, and do some research. What is their product or service? Who are the customers they serve? What kinds of positions exist within the company? What skills are they looking for? Find out which employers are the best match for your skills and experience and target them before you arrive.
4. Plan Who You Want To Talk To And In What Order
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You probably will not have time to talk to everyone. Look over your research notes and decide in advance which companies would be the best match for your skills and experience. Plan to visit the "maybe" companies first and save the really important ones for last. This way you can work through some of your nervousness before you present yourself to the companies that really matter.
5. Bring Your Resume
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You should bring sufficient copies of your resume for the employers you plan to target. Make sure your resume is customized for the kind of job you are seeking, focuses on accomplishments, not responsibilities (quantify your work experience), and is two pages or less. Several employers I spoke to mentioned receiving resumes that were as long as five to ten pages! Do not fold your resume or place it in an envelope either!
6. Ask Questions
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The main purpose of attending a job fair is to gather information, network, and establish a connection with your target companies. What do employers look for in an employee? What are some of the current challenges they are facing? What kinds of positions exist within the company? How do they screen and make their hiring decisions? If you attend a job fair hoping to walk away with a job offer, you will probably be disappointed. If you attend to gather information, you will always walk away a winner!
One word of caution: this is not the time or place to ask "What do you pay?" or "What are your benefits?" These topics are best discussed when an offer has been made or is pending.
7. Be Aware Of Proper Etiquette
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From the moment you enter the job fair, you're "on stage." Don't smoke or chew gum. If there are refreshments, save them until you are ready to leave. Don't bad-mouth your current or last employer. (When one employer asked a job seeker why they were looking for work, they were shocked when the job seeker answered "Because
8. Make Your Objectives Known
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Employer's report many attendees seem to be "just browsing" or are there to collect the free promotional items. Approach employers confidently. Introduce yourself and express why you are there. Ask questions and take notes. Express more interest in the company literature than the key rings, Post-it notes, and candy bars.
9. Collect Business Cards And Take Notes
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Jot down notes while the employer is talking with you. Ask for the business card of everyone you speak with. After leaving the employer's table, make a note of what you spoke about and what follow-up actions you need to take after the fair.
10. Follow Up
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Send a thank you note within 24 hours to each employer you talked to at the fair. Remind them of which position(s) you spoke about and stress your interest in scheduling a follow-up interview. It might also be a good idea to enclose another copy of your resume or a personal business card (if you haven't already given them one) that will remind them of your skills and provide them with contact information.
Keep these three objectives in mind when you attend your next job fair: you are there to network, gather information, and solicit an invitation to an interview. Try to relax and be yourself. Employer's hire people they like. Focus on being likable and you can't lose!
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Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
BigstockMake a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
- How did I learn about this job?
- How did I apply for the job?
- Did I earn an interview?
- What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
BigstockAre you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
BigstockYour job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
- Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
- Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
- Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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