|
Your preparation for a career fair or an interview
has a lot to do with your success at the event. Make
sure that you take time to think about and get the following
things ready before a career fair arrives.
Gator CareerLink
Sign-up for a Gator CareerLink account if you do
not have one. This free tool is essential to on-campus
interviewing after a career fair as this is how you
will apply for and schedule interviews. Also, use Gator
CareerLink to search for new positions, submit new applications,
and stay up-to-date on information and activities to
enhance your search. Find
out more about Gator CareerLink.
Resume
Make sure you write or update your resume so that you
can proofread it, have others proofread it, bring it
the Career Resource Center to have it reviewed, and
make copies before the event. For more details, see
the Resume section below.
Attire
Make sure you have professional clothes to wear, that
they are clean, fit well, and ready to wear. For more
information about what to wear to a career fair, see
the Professional Attire section
below.
| Items
to bring to a career fair |
 |
|
 |
Portfolio/folder
to hold your resumes and notes |
|
Copies of your resume |
|
List of your targeted
organizations |
|
Pen and paper for
making notes for yourself |
|
Gator1 card – this
will be scanned as you enter |
|
Name tag – simple
but professional looking |
| |
|
| Items
to leave at home |
|
Backpacks, big bookbags
-- use a simple, professional looking portfolio/folder
instead |
|
Class books and
notes -- don't lug everything for your entire day
around the event with you |
| |
|
Know Yourself
Sharing your strengths, skills, experiences, and
qualifications is the point of talking to recruiters
at a career fair. In order to this effectively you need
to know yourself and then work on how you will tell
someone else. Study your own resume, know what you have
listed and examples that illustrate those items. Then
know how you can share this information with a recruiter
so that they know why you are an outstanding candidate.
| Quick
Tips for Studying Yourself |
|
|
|
Study your resume
so that you can provide more details on everything
listed |
|
Write down an example
of how you used a skill or |
|
Check out the One-minute
commercial handout for more information
on how to study yourself and prepare for your conversation
with recruiters. |
| |
|
Back to top
Knowing the employers and preparing to speak to them
is key to your success. Follow these few basics to ensure
that you are ready to speak to the employers. A lot
of information is provided through the employers attending
link that is listed on the career fair's main page.
Find Out Who Will Attend
All of the organizations attending the event are listed
online. Use the online listing to search for employers
looking to hire people in the fields where you want
to work. Make a list of all the possible employers that
you could see at the event.
Learn about the Employers
Use the details provided through the Employers Attending
page to read about the organizations. Also, look at
each organization's website. You should know some basics
about every company. You may not be able to find out
everything, but you should definitely the basics that
you can find.
Company
Mission
Products/Services
they provide
Location(s)
of organization
Place
in industry -- competitors, niche, specialties, etc.
Positions
they have available
Work
culture
Make a Top Ten List
Which employers have the positions, location, culture,
opportunities, et cetera, that fit your goals and desires.
Make a list of the organizations you most want to meet.
Know the organizations
Continue to find out more about your top choices.
Make sure you know the basics, but look for information
on training programs, opportunities for advancement,
benefits, their interview process, and more. The more
you know, the less they will have to tell you and this
makes you look good!
Have Questions
While researching you will also have questions that
you may not be able to answer. These are great questions
to ask recruiters when you meet with them. Write the
questions down and feel free to refer to your list at
the event so you can remember your good questions.
Back to top
Sharing your strengths, skills, experiences, and qualifications
is the point of talking to recruiters at a career fair.
In order to this effectively you need to know yourself
and then work on how you will tell someone else. Study
your own resume, know what you have listed and examples
that illustrate those items. Then know how you can share
this information with a recruiter so that they know
why you are an outstanding candidate by telling them
about your skills, experiences, strengths, motivation,
and more.
| Quick
Tips |
|
|
|
Study your resume
so that you can provide more details on everything
listed |
|
List out all the
skills, experiences, and characteristics that a
great candidate would have for the position(s) you
are seeking |
|
Next, write down
an example of every time you used, demonstrated,
or have done the things on the list you made |
|
Check out the One-minute
commercial handout for more information
on how to study yourself and prepare for your conversation
with recruiters. |
Back to top
Your skills, experience, and personal qualities are
very important in your search for a job or internship.
Making sure you look the part helps the recruiter hear
why you are a good candidate, rather than being distracted
by a less-than-professional appearance. Looking professional
will not get you a job, but an under-dressed or poorly
groomed person does not portray an image that gets the
right kind of attention.
Looking professional is a combination of simple grooming
and professional attire. There are some basics that
apply to both men and women. While organizations vary
in regard to dress code, professional dress is the standard
for job searching. However, research what you should
wear. A business suit is appropriate when job searching
in many fields but ask staff in the Career Resource
Center, instructors, or people you know in your field
to find out what's best.
The following tips provide the basic, conservative,
can't-go-wrong suggestions for making sure you have
a professional appearance at the event.
| Quick
Tips - Clothing |
|
|
|
Dress in professional
business attire -- business suit |
|
Dark grey and navy
(dark blue) are traditional colors for business
attire |
|
White is a traditional
shirt/blouse color to wear under the suit, but other
light colors work, too (no pastels, however) |
|
Proper fit is the
most important feature of any suit you wear |
|
Make sure your clothes
are clean and winkle-free |
| |
|
| Quick
Tips - Grooming |
|
Wear very little
or no perfume -- scents can easily become distracting
or overwhelming, so it's best to use very sparingly
or not at all |
|
Hair should be neat,
clean, simply-styled, and out of your face |
|
Make sure your breathe
is fresh -- carry breathe mints with you |
|
Minimal jewelry
and make-up is standard -- too much of either can
be distracting |
| |
|
| Tips
for Men |
|
Two or three button
suits are traditional |
|
Never button the
bottom button -- that's just how suits are worn |
|
Black shoes are
best with a dark grey or navy suit |
|
Ties can vary, but
avoid very bright colors and gaudy/distracting designs |
|
Facial hair should
be clean-shaven or neatly trimmed if you have a
beard/mustache |
|
No suit? Dark dress
slacks and light-colored shirt with a tie is the
next-best outfit |
| |
|
| Tips
for Women |
|
Shirt suits are
most traditional, but pants suits are very common |
|
Pieces of your outfit
should fit well but not be tight-fitting |
|
Skirts should hang
down to nearly the knee; some fashions are just
below the knee, but avoid skirts that are very short |
|
Closed toes shoes
are traditional in a business professional setting |
|
No suit? A dark
skirt or dress slacks and a blouse is the next-best
outfit |
Back to top
Your resume is like your calling card to the recruiter,
just with a lot more information. This will be the representation
of you they take with you, so it needs to polished,
thorough, and represent you well.
| Quick
Tips |
|
|
|
Never written a
resume before? Start first with the information,
guides, templates, and examples online.
After finishing your first draft, review the information,
edit your resume, then bring it the CRC to have
it reviewed. Then edit it further and you may need
to another review before it is ready. |
|
Customize your resume
for your targeted employers (objective, contents,
etc.) |
|
Bring enough copies
so you have 2 for every employer you plan to visit,
plus 10-15 extras -- better to have extras than
to run out |
|
Put your resume
on high quality resume paper (available at any office
supply store). Stay with basic white, off-white,
or other light colors. Avoid pastels, colored specks,
or marbled designs. |
|
Bring a few copies
of your resume on plain white office paper. Some
employers will scan your resume into a database
and the plain white paper will work best for them. |
|
|
| Information
for starting or editing your resume |
|
Information,
guides |
|
Resume
Templates and examples |
|
|
Back to top
|
