Navigating A Career Fair

1
Navigating A Career Fair

• Fine Arts Career Services
• March 2009
• For further information, please set up an
  appointment with a career advisor by calling
  232-7333 or sending a request to
  facs_at_austin.utexas.edu.

2
Why attend career fairs?

• To locate internships and/or jobs.
• To meet people who might become job contacts now
  and in the future (networking) and practice
  talking with employers.
• To become comfortable in a career fair setting.
• To learn more about different opportunities
  inside and outside the arts.

3
Who Will be There?

• Employers
• Career Services staff
• Other job-seekers

4
What Should I Wear?

• Dress to impress!
• This is a potential employers first impression!
• Professional dress or business casual is
  generally the most appropriate attire. Look
  closely at what you already own, you probably
  have one acceptable outfit. Suits are appropriate
  but not required.
• MEN wear slacks or pressed pants with a dress
  shirt and tie or polo. WOMEN wear slacks or a
  skirt with a blouse.
• Remember it is always better to overdress than
  underdress.

5
How to Prepare

• Decide what to wear.
• Create or update your résumé. Bring it with you
  OR at the very least have it ready to send it to
  a prospective employer soon after the fair.
• Consider bringing a set of business cards. Sample
  templates in Word and online.
• Research participating employers to decide who
  you want to visit.
• Develop a strategy for visiting employers.
• .

6
How to Prepare, continued.

• Prepare and rehearse your elevator speech or
  pitch.
• An elevator speech is a short infomercial about
  you including your skills, major, job/career
  interests, related volunteer or career interests.
  Focus on what YOU can do for the employer. See
  the Web site below for advice.
• See http//www.edb.utexas.edu/education/edServices
  /career/students/teachercert/careerfairs/howto/
  for more preparation ideas
• Come to FACS for a resume review and/or feedback
  on your elevator pitch.

7
During the Fair

• Visit the organizations you are less interested
  in first to get warmed up.
• Use your time wisely - if there is a long line at
  a particular booth visit someone else and come
  back.
• Get the recruiter business cards so you can
  follow up later.

8
Speaking With Employers

• Be confident when approaching employers.
• Smile and offer your hand for a handshake!
• Introduce yourself using your prepared elevator
  speech.
• Ask questions about the organization to show your
  interest.
• Offer your résumé to the employer.
• Be prepared to talk about how your arts skills
  transfer to the real world. Refer to the FACS
  Career Guides at http//www.utexas.edu/cofa/career
  /students/handout.html
• Follow-up with a thank you note.
• For more ideas, see http//www.jobweb.com/studenta
  rticles.aspx?id216termsdress

9
After the Fair

• Follow up with organizations you are interested
  in- submit requested application materials
  immediately.
• Thank people who provided information for their
  time.
• Review literature.
• Assess what you learned.
• Is there a field I would like to do more research
  about?
• How do I need to prepare for the job market?
• What are my next steps?

10
Résumé Basics

• Check out the Résumé Basics at
• http//www.utexas.edu/cofa/career/resume_basics.h
  tml
• Get your résumé reviewed.
• Go to roving office hours (any session)
• Music Mondays from 130-330 in the Music
  Recital Hall 2nd floor lobby
• Art and Art History Tuesdays from 1200-200 in
  the Art Building 2nd floor cases
• Theatre and Dance Wednesdays from 130-330 in
  the Winship Atrium
• Make an individual appointment by calling
  232-7333.

11
Upcoming Career Fairs

• FACS Internship Info Sessions April 7 9
• Communication Job and Internship Fair- April 1
• Education Career Fair April 9
• The following slides contain additional
  information on the above events.

12
Upcoming Internship Info. Sessions

• Mobile Film School
• http//www.mobilefilmschool.org/internships
• April 7 at 12 noon in DFA 1.103 Conference
  Room
• Long Center for the Performing Arts
• http//www.thelongcenter.org/thecenter.aspx?id
  1238 (features profiles of current past
  interns, application materials will be available
  at info session)
• April 9 at noon in DFA 1.103 Conference Room

13
Communication Job and Internship Fair

• Wednesday, April 1, 2009 12 noon 5 p.m.
• Texas Union Ballroom
• http//communication.utexas.edu/ccs/students
  /fairs/spring09-fair.html
• Of Special interest to Fine Arts majors
• Austin Film Festival
• Comcast Entertainment Group
• Disney
• Golfsmith (Print Design Intern, Photography
  Intern, Web Design Intern, Copy Intern)
• Latin Works (Art Direction, Design)
• MSB Media Group (Graphic Design)
• National Instruments (Creative Design)
• Texas Monthly
• There are many more organizations attending with
  terrific opportunities for Fine Arts majors!

14
Teacher Education Career Fair

• April 9, 2009 from 9 a.m.-1230 p.m. at the Frank
  Erwin Center
• http//www.edb.utexas.edu/education/edServic
  es/career/students/teachercert/careerfairs/
• Over 100 recruiting entities from Texas and other
  states, some as far away as California, New York
  and Alaska attend hoping to hire UT graduates.

15
Helpful Resources

• FACS
• http//www.utexas.edu/cofa/career/index.html
• Quintessential Careers
• http//www.quintcareers.com/career_fair_tutorial/