How to WORK a Career Fair

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How to WORK a Career Fair

• Internship Careeer Services Program
• North Carolina Wesleyan College

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Presentation Outline

• Preparation
• Research!
• Your marketing plan
• Dress for success
• What will you say?
• The day before
• At the fair
• Interview preparation
• At the interview
• After the job fair
• ENCCA Job Fair details

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Research!

• Who will be at the fair?
• Easily accessed via the ENCCA websitewww.enccacar
  eerfair.org
• Complete list with contact information, company
  overview, positions available, and web address
  for each company
• Who do you want to visit with?
• View positions offered as well as company
  websites to determine this

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Company Research

• This very important step will allow you to answer
  and ask questions intelligently
• Where can I find company information?
• Corporate websites
• Look for HR or About, maybe Strategic Plan
• Also browse the consumer side of their site to be
  up on what products and/or services they offer
  and how they present themselves
• Newspapers
• May be helpful for small companies with
  underdeveloped web sites

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Your Marketing Plan

• How will you best market yourself?
• Polished resume on fine paper (see presentation)
• Professional dress, clean, well-groomed
• Portfolio and pen
• Networking cards
• Collection of work samples (see presentation)
• Prepare for what you will say

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Dress for Success
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General Guidelines

• Dress conservatively
• Sensible, practical clothes that make you look
  like you know how to focus on your work
• Make sure clothes look clean and neat
• Do not chew gum while at the fair
• Do not smoke before or at the fair (the smoke
  smell will attach to your clothing)

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Womens Appearance

• Conservative suit color (black, grey, navy)
• Conservative blouse color (white, ivory)
• Appropriate neckline
• A tailored dress or coat dress is also
  appropriate
• Skirt/dress length should be between an inch
  above or below the knee
• Check slip length
• Wear hosiery

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Womens Appearance (continued)

• Accessories add color and variety but less is
  more in the job fair/interview situation
• Heels should be around 2 height
• Conservative shoe style and color (close toe,
  black, navy, taupe, brown)
• Be aware of manicure
• Do not carry a purse, only a professional tote or
  leather-bound pad
• Wear make-up, but not too much

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Mens Appearance

• Fit is critical to a suit jacket and pants
• Dark blue, grey, or black
• Button your jacket when standing and walking,
  unbutton when sitting
• A pressed, white, long-sleeved, cotton shirt
• You should be able to fit 2 fingers between the
  collar and your neck
• Silk tie in a conservative color/print

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Mens Appearance (continued)

• Tip of tie should reach center of belt buckle
• Shoes should be black or brown
• Socks should complement pant color
• Belts plain leather in black, 1
• Neatly trimmed facial hair
• Clean nails
• Polished shoes, no worn heels
• Carry a brief case or leather-bound pad

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General Grooming Tips

• Deodorant
• Light on cologne/perfume
• Brush your teeth, use mouthwash
• Neat haircut
• Polished shoes
• Impeccably clean

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What will you say?

• Elevator Speech/Personal Commercial

• A 30 second impromptu speech
• Should provide

• Your current status (BIO major graduating
  in May)

• What your current employment goals are
  (entry level lab technician)

• A snippet of what you already know about the
  employer and how you may be a good fit (My
  beliefs fit well with your companys mission of
  improving lives by developing innovative
  drugs.)

• A request for action (Can you tell me more
  about your company and how I might be able to
  contribute?)

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The Day Before

• Prepare copies of resume
• Practice your speech/commercial
• Review top employers list and the research youve
  gathered on each
• Verify all clothing and accessories are ready for
  wear
• Get plenty of sleep!

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At the Fair
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At the fair

• Check-in
• Plan your day
• A map employer directory will be provided
• Be sure to meet with those you are most
  interested in first you dont want to run out
  of time and earlier candidates will get
  interviews
• Approach employers
• Be polite, wait until theres a natural break in
  conversation to introduce yourself
• Extend a firm handshake
• Use your speech/commercial
• Smile, make eye contact, be confident!

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Before leaving the employer

• Leave your contact information
• Get their contact information
• Ask for an interview Ex. - Id like to take
  your business card and leave you with my
  networking card and resume. Would it be possible
  for me to get an appointment on your companys
  interview schedule this afternoon?

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At the fair (cont.)

• Be polite and mature throughout the day you
  never know whos watching nearby.
• Check-out by returning your evaluation if you
  will not return for interviews
• Eat lunch on your own
• Return to prepare for your interviews
• Be on time to meet employers at their table for
  your interview appointment
• Once interviews are complete check-out by
  returning your evaluation
• DRIVE SAFELY!

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Interview Preparation
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Review Job Announcement

• Look back over the job announcement, highlighting
  all mentions of duties and specific skills
• Try to form a picture of the individual they are
  seeking
• What is missing? Often times the announcement is
  vague, you will want to decide in advance what
  questions you have so you can ask them.

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Review Your Skills

• Match your skills with those mentioned in the
  announcement
• Plan specific examples you can share that will
  exhibit your possession of these sills.
• Try to recall a time you have done something
  similar to what they are looking for.
• What transferable skills do you have that will be
  helpful in this position? Give examples.

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Practice

• Review a list of typical interview questions and
  anticipate how you might respond.
• Pretend you are the interviewer. What questions
  would you ask? See typical questions here.
• Do not try to script your responses.
• Participate in Mock Interviews with the ICSP
  Coordinator in advance.

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At the Interview
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Behavior

• Arrive on time and report to the employers table
  when the interview time is announced.
• Speak clearly and with good grammar.
• Avoid verbal fillers (uh, you know, like).
• Answer questions with examples and stories. Use
  humor if it seems appropriate.
• Feel free to take down a few notes.

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Body Language

• Firm handshake
• Good eye contact
• Erect posture (slightly leaning forward)
• Relaxed and confident
• Small facial/hand gestures
• Avoid fidgeting
• Smile
• Be enthusiastic
• Swallow yawns

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What Not To DO

• Dont
• Be late
• Ask about money
• Criticize prior job or boss
• Lie (better to say you dont know an answer)
• Slouch
• Cross your legs
• Interrupt
• Feel obligated to answer illegal questions

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After the Job Fair
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Evaluation Action

• Immediately make notes
• What do you still have questions about?
• What are the pros of the companies/positions?
• What are the cons of the companies/positions?
• How do you feel about your performance at the
  fair/in the interviews?
• What could you improve on next time?
• Complete any follow-up instructions given to you
  by the employers
• Send a thank you letter to the employer within 24
  hours

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Thank You Letters

• Express appreciation for the interview and
  meeting the individual.
• Comment on things that were mentioned in the
  interview.
• If the employer had mentioned a current problem,
  remind them of ways you can help.
• If there was something relevant you forgot to say
  in the interview, mention it here.
• Express your interest in working at the company
  and that you look forward to hearing from them.
• Example

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ENCCA Career Fair Details

• Schedule 9am 12pm Information exchange12pm
  1pm Lunch on your own1pm 4pm Interviews
• LocationMcKimmon Center1101 Gormon
  StreetRaleigh, NC 27695
• Travel Notify me ASAP if you will need
  assistance!