People either love or hate job fairs and that goes for both employees and employers. It is really easy to get bogged down in an event and not actually accomplish your goals. Before getting bogged down at the next job fair event think about these tips to make sure you’re not wasting your time or the time of potential employers.
Research the fair.
Never go to a job fair event unprepared. You need to know the times of the event, where the venue is located, and who will be there. The more you know about the job fair the better equipped you will be to make the most of the event.
Research the employers and make a game plan.
You don’t need to visit every single employer on the job fair floor. You want to target the companies that make the most sense for your career goals. Research the companies who will be there and make a plan to visit them.
Arrive early.
When you get to the venue early you can get a feel for the layout and determine where the companies you want to speak with are located. This can help you navigate once the space becomes more crowded.
Prepare an elevator pitch.
When you approach a company you’re interested in working with you need to hook them immediately. Prepare a 30 second statement that describes who you are and what you do. This will start the conversation.
Don’t just take all the free stuff.
Companies at job fairs will load their tables with free giveaways. Anything from stickers to pens can start to become cumbersome under their own weight as you proceed through the day. You don’t need everything so don’t give into the temptation.
Get cards and follow up.
The single most important thing you can do at a job fair is to remember to take cards from the contacts you’re most interested in developing. As soon as you get home, or the very next day, sit down at your computer and compose a follow up email to remind them of your meeting and suggest the next steps.
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