Under the patronage of H.E Adel Fakeih, The Minister of Labor
AStepAhead
Tips And Advice
TIPS AND ADVICE Glowork has tailored some tips and advice to prepare you for the career fair. Q- What's the key to success at a career fair? Here are your Answers One: Research in advance the employers expected at the fair. Research enables you to decide which employers you should approach, and to plan your approach to each employer. Note each employer is different. You can't have a generic sell of yourself that will work for everyone. Target your message to each employer. Two: Know yourself, know the employer, show the fit. Of course that means research and preparation before you go. Three: Be flexible and prepared for the unexpected. Unfortunately it's not a perfect world. The person who registered the organization for the fair (several weeks or months prior) may have said they needed to hire xyz. You show up at the fair and the rep says they're not hiring xyz. That's frustrating for you. Be prepared to engage in a conversation and show that you did your research. If the employer gave information that is no longer accurate, perhaps the rep can explain how their hiring needs change and what influences those needs (lost a contract? got a new contract?)
• Why go? - To make a good (or great) impression in person
(especially important if your resume doesn't necessarily stand out from the crowd).
- To see that the real world is not organized by major
you don't necessarily have to be a business major to go to Business Horizons, and you don't necessarily have to be an engineering major to go to Engineering Expo. You DO have to look at the list of employers attending in advance.
- To learn more about employers than you can learn from
their websites You learn about the culture of an organization when you meet their people, and you can ask questions. Much of the job search process — before you can even get an interview — for both you, the job seeker, and for the employer in trying to find good candidates, is not done in person. It involves employers screening resumes and cover letters, and you reading about employers and viewing their websites, and the like. Take advantage of opportunities to meet employers face-to-face.
- Some fairs include follow-up interviewing as part of the fair, for a full or half day. Regardless of the extent to which technology makes it easier and faster to share information between job seekers and employers, nothing replaces in-person contact for making an impression.
• Before you go - Know which employers are attending - Do enough research to make "A" &"B" lists of employers to meet
Depending on the fair and how many employers interest you, you might not have time to speak with every employer (and every employer may not be offering what you seek). You don't need to study employers' financial reports to prepare, but you do need to have some sense of what the organization does, and if there is a fit between your skills and interests and the employer's needs. Also, if you're looking for more than one type of job — like technical sales or production management — you'll need to know which employers are looking for what so you can give each employer an appropriate resume....
- Have plenty of copies of your resume ready. You might need to prepare more than one version Note: If you're looking for more than one type of position, each being significantly different (like marketing or human resources), you might need two different versions of your resume, each tailored to support the different objective. This doesn't mean you need an individualized resume for each employer at a fair. It simply means when you speak to an employer and say you're interested in a certain kind of work, don't hand the employer a resume that has nothing to do with that kind of work. (Nothing wrong with an employer giving you a new idea on the spot—be flexible & respond appropriately.)
- Prepare a 20 to 30 second introduction to use with
employers You don't want to sound like a telephone solicitor reading a script; you do want to sound like you thought about why you're there. It might be something like, "Hello. I'm Nada , a junior in Communication Studies and Marketing. I'm looking for an internship related to marketing for next summer. I read on your web site that (name of company) has an internship program in your corporate marketing department, and I've done some project work that I believe gave me skills related to the internship work. I'm very interested in your program." Something like that. However, Keep in mind that some employer representatives may take control of the conversation quickly and you may do more listening than speaking, but you do want to be prepared to be proactive rather than passive.
- Prepare questions in advance
Employers want employees who are proactive, thoughtful, and listen well. Make yourself stand out with smart questions.
- Don't ask about:
∙ Information you could have easily learned on the employer's website. ∙ Salary and benefits. (The employer should initiate discussion of those topics. A job/career fairs is not the place for a job seeker to initiate this.)
- Do ask for information you could not find on the employer's website Examples of good questions IF YOU COULD NOT FIND THIS INFORMATION ON THE EMPLOYER'S WEBSITE: ∙ What kind of person are you seeking for the(se) position(s)?
∙ What kind of person are you seeking for the(se) position(s)? ∙ What particular skills do you value most? ∙ What do you like about working for your organization? (Remember that some employers have employee testimonials on their website. Check those out in advance.) ∙ What are current issues that your organization is facing that would have an impact on new hires?
- Show what you know, and ask for more
∙ I read about about xyz project on your website. Is your depart ment involved in that work? ∙ Several graduates of my major have gone to work for your organization and they speak highly about their experience. What are the career paths for new hires over the first few years on the job?
• Tips to follow At the career fair - Watch your manners and mannerisms
All those things your parents drilled into you when you were a child (and a few more). Stand up straight, don't hang your mouth open, don't fidget, don't chew gum or smell like smoke.
- Make good eye contact - Be clear and engaging when you speak
Be friendly and conversational, have a positive attitude. Stay on topic. Fairs are sometimes noisy, so speak clearly and confidently.
- Don't be misled into thinking of the fair as a social event
Employers often send recently-hired new graduates to career fairs. Don't fall into the mistake of interacting on a social level
and forgetting that you are being judged on your potential to function in the work environment.
- Carry a simple padfolio to keep your resumes organized
and ready Some fairs have you check your bags at the door because the event is crowded. Be ready to hand employers the appropriate resume. Be prepared for employers to give you literature and give-away items (pens, cups, t-shirts, etc.) — this is typical at fairs (sometimes they give you a bag to carry the give-aways). Bottom line is that you want to look like an organized person because that's an asset in an employee.
- Have an open mind
You may have 12 employers on your target list to speak with. If you have extra time, or have to wait to speak with an employer, take advantage of the opportunity to chat with other employers who aren't busy. You might learn something to your advantage to your surprise. At the least, you'll be practicing initiating a conversation in a less formal business environment — and this is an essential skill in any work environment.
- This is your opportunity to be evaluated on more than just
your resume In many aspects of the job search, your resume (and cover letter) is (are) all the employer sees to determine whether to interview you. At a fair, you have an opportunity to stand out in person in a way that you might not on your resume. Interpersonal skills, communication skills and work-place-appropriate social skills are critical. Many employers evaluate these skills heavily, because they want to hire people who can make a good impression on their clients and customers.
www.glowork.net