Preparing for and Experiencing a Successful Career Fair

• Read through and follow the tips below.
  
  
• Research the organizations coming - remember that positions available are not always obvious by the organization name.
  
  
• Maintain a positive attitude and dress and carry yourself with confidence.
  

Tips On Making The Career Fair A Success For You

1. Know your goals. A realistic goal for attending a fair is to get an idea of what employers are looking for or to be invited for an interview at the company at a later date. Do not expect to be offered a job today.
   
   
2. Are you dressed appropriately in business casual and wearing comfortable shoes? If not, you may want to go back to your room and change.
   
   
3. Use your best handshake, make eye contact and give an award-winning smile when you introduce yourself.
   
   
4. Bring 20+ error free resumes with you; do not fold them. Use a portfolio, briefcase, or shoulder bag to hold resumes, corporate literature, and all the materials you will collect.  Your resume should have been reviewed by the Career Center. If you have not made an appointment yet and attend or have graduated from RWU, please feel free to do so.
   
   
5. Be enthusiastic! Employers identify the most important personal attribute you can bring to your first regular employment position is "Enthusiasm."  Project interest in the company.
   
   
6. There will be many applicants approaching employers at the same time you are.DON'T BE OVERWHELMED. Keep a positive attitude and concentrate on benefits of the experience.
   
   
7. Visit with employers who do not have students at their tables. Even if you have never heard of the company you might be surprised at the types of opportunities they may have.
   
   
8. Remember to thank the person you talk to and take their business card for a formal follow up.
   
   
9. Most of the employers will have information about their companies - feel free to take what is offered. Please don't take the information if you don't want it, politely say, "No Thank you."
   
   
10. Employers expect to interact with students seeking job opportunities as well as those simply researching careers and organizations.
    
    
11. Review the list of organizations who will be attending the job fair, then research those employers of interest to you. Visit the Career Center Resource Library for company literature, and do research on the organization's website.
    
    
12. Practice answering the questions: Tell Me About Yourself? What are you interested in doing after Graduation? "I don't know" may not be a deal maker. Be able to deliver a small 30 second 'commercial' about yourself to an employer.
    
    
13. Prioritize the list of employers you want to speak with and go directly to their tables. Walk up and down the aisles first looking at who is present -you don't want to miss anyone while waiting to speak with someone else or even interviewing.
    
    
14. Be ready to make conversation and ask intelligent questions--making you a much more interesting candidate than those who ask "So. What do you guys do?"
    
    
15. Your goal is to get a SECOND interview, "in house."; If you're genuinely interested, let them know! "I am quite excited about the possibilities your company offers, and I think I have the talent to help you achieve your goals.... What do I need to do to arrange a second interview?" If a second interview isn't arranged immediately, don't despair.
    
    
16. Be prepared to discuss where you want to work geographically (New York - Boston - anywhere), what you like doing, what you're looking for in a job, what your most relevant skills are.
    
    
17. If you have an actual interview at the job fair, it will usually be at the recruiter's table or in a special curtained interviewing area.
    
    
18. Within two weeks after the Career Fair, send a thank you note to the representatives you met and with whom you want to follow up - making sure to use contact information on the business cards you asked for at the event.