How to Prep for a College Job Fair

How to Prep for a College Job Fair via pixabay.com 1. Bring several copies of your resume. One of the most important things you can bring with you to a job fair is your resume. This piece of paper is something you can put in the hands of those who are hiring so they can remember you later on. Make sure youve edited your resume multiple times and gotten several opinions on formatting, use of verbs, and organization. Your schools career center will likely have professionals who dedicate their daily lives to reading college student resumes and aiding in the job search. Before you attend your college job fair, make sure your resume is as close to perfect as possible. Writing a resume can be challenging and intimidating. Its tough to know what your industry expects, and there are way too many online templates to choose from. Research tips on  making your resume stand out  to human resources managers prior to completing and printing out several copies of your resume. 2. Dress appropriately. When you attend a job fair, youre making a first impression on the company. If you show up in your sweaty gym clothes, potential employers will be anything but impressed. Remember that first impressions cannot be redone. If youre serious about getting a job after college, ensure that when you attend a job fair and meet professionals in the field, youre dressed as if youre interviewing for the job on the spot because oftentimes, thats exactly what a job fair is. Outfits that are acceptable for job interviews are also acceptable for job fairs. Though I would say youre safe if youre slightly more casual than formal interview wear. Employers understand that you might be coming from class, so theres a chance youre going to be in shoes that are a bit more comfortable to walk in than your dressy ones. However, theres no excuse for showing up to a career fair in shorts and a t-shirt. I would  not  recommend throwing away your chance at a job because of a wardrobe faux-pas. via Pixabay.com 3. Do your research. Showing up to a career fair without any information about employers who will be in attendance is one of the worst ways to prepare for a job fair. Colleges will most likely publish a list of employers who will be in attendance often organized by industry. Spend some time looking over this list and prioritizing the employers that youre most interested in (more on this in the next point). Otherwise, you could waste your time talking to employers that dont offer what youre looking for. One of the best ways to research companies is to talk with a current employee. Its pretty unlikely that youre going to personally know someone who works for the company youre most interested in, but this is where upperclassmen can come in handy. Reach out to classmates youve had that have graduated and gotten jobs. They could be some of your best resources when it comes to finding a job for yourself! The one thing you  absolutely do not want to do  is show up to a career fair with absolutely no knowledge about any of the employers in attendance. Itll make you look completely unprepared and irresponsible. This isnt to say that you cant visit tables of employers youre not as familiar with its just to point out how ill-prepared you look if you walk up to an employer and expect them to sell  you  on what they have to offer. Sure, employers know theyre competing with everyone else in attendance. But it looks pretty bad when your introduction to an employer begins with so tell me about you guys. Employers will be much more impressed if you know your stuff upon opening a conversation with whoever is there to represent them. created by Lorena Roberts via Piktochart.com 4. Prioritize your interests. There are going to be hundreds of employers at this job fair trust me. If your university has gone through the trouble of scheduling a job fair, theyre going to make sure its loaded with potential employers. Because it can be overwhelming to walk into a job fair and approach employers, prioritize those you are most interested in speaking with. I wouldnt suggest showing up and lolly-gagging from table to table, hoping you come across your dream job. Preparing for a career fair requires you take time beforehand to really do your research. Plus, companies are highly impressed when students can show theyve dedicated time to researching a company and their goals. Consider reaching out to HR before the career fair expressing your excitement for meeting one of their representatives on campus. That way, when you show up to the fair, someone is already expecting you and youll have a starting point for conversation. This is probably better advice for upperclassmen who are on the verge of graduating. As a freshman, its not as important that youre on a first name basis with the HR supervisor. But as you move through your college career, consider ways you can network with companies youre most interested in working for. 5. Be prepared to give a pitch. Career fairs are about selling yourself and your abilities. When you travel from table to table, representatives from companies will ask you about yourself, your interests, and your career goals. Be prepared to strike up a conversation with a professional regarding the things youre interested in, some of your favorite classes, and any experiences youve had that would make you valuable to their company. If you need help writing or rehearsing your elevator pitch, reach out to your schools career services center. They specialize in making sure youre prepared to land a job after college. It can be intimidating to try and write an elevator pitch on your own and its hard to know what youre up against as far as competition with your fellow classmates. Universities have career service departments to help students with things like this! Youll be able to meet with someone whose sole purpose is to help you land your dream job. Most likely, theyll be with you every step of the way from writing your pitch to practicing and perfecting it for the employers youre most interested in. 6. Know what  not  to bring. Employers know that youre visiting the fair in between classes, but, if at all possible, stop back by your apartment or vehicle to drop off your bulky belongings. While its generally acceptable to show up to a career fair with friends, I wouldnt suggest traveling from table to table together. Be confident enough to branch out on our own and talk to potential employers without your BFF by your side. Food and drink is a total no-no, unless its your refillable water bottle. Showing up to a table holding your Subway sandwich is going to make you look like nothing more than a  total goon.   My advice? Eat a snack beforehand and only show up to a career fair with a bottled water if you need it. Carrying around a soda, a snack, or other eateries just makes you look like you werent prepared for a college job fair. Employers remember things like this though you may think they dont. You probably dont want to be the one they remember as the girl with the sauce on her face. Potential employers have taken time out of their busy schedules to meet with college students who could potentially become employees. Walking up to a table with a greasy sandwich in your hands is a total turn-off. via Pixabay.com 7. Have a plan for following up with some of your top choices. Collect business cards, email addresses, and names of the companies youre interested in pursuing. Come up with a game plan for following up with them! Whether you send an email thanking them for their time or getting more information, employers like to hear from you after theyve met with you. You can truly seal the deal by making sure you have a plan for how youll follow up with the employers you favored most. College job fairs can be intimidating especially if its your first go-round. But after you get the hang of things, youll realize that these career fairs are gold mines  for ensuring you have a shot at a job after graduation. Its the perfect place to network and make connections with professionals in your field and get your name out there. Students will often attend more than one career fair. The more opportunities you can take advantage of, the better! So as soon as you feel prepared to start showing up to these events do it! The more practice you get meeting employers, the better. Youll be glad you did it when it comes to making those student loan payments after graduation. Attending your universitys career fair might be intimidating at first, but there are ways you can ensure youre completely prepared to hit a home run with every employer you talk to. Make sure you show up with plenty of copies of your resume, dressed for the job, with the background knowledge you need to make conversation with the employers in attendance. The earlier you get experience with attending career fairs, the more practice youll have, and the more likely itll be that youll land your dream job after graduation.