mastering the art of a career fair

LOOK THE PART PREPARE AN DO YOUR COLLECT CONTACTS

AND DRESS FOR ELEVATOR SPEECH HOMEWORK Ask for contact information from
SUCCESS Be prepared to talk about Find out which organizations each person you speak with,
how your knowledge, skills, are attending the Career Fair and follow-up with them after
Approach a career fair like an the Career Fair Conference.
interview: make sure you are and accomplishments will Conference by visiting your
well-groomed and dressed to benefit a potential employer. myCareer dashboard or the
impress. Trade in your jeans Make it sound conversational website. Do some research
and t-shirt for conservative and natural. End with an and explore the companies
business attire to make a great action request, e.g. ask that interest you, focusing
first impression. for contact information. on mission, culture,
and skills valued.

UPDATE YOUR MAKE THE MOST PREPARE RESPONSES PREPARE YOUR

RÉSUMÉ AND SOCIAL OF YOUR TIME TO QUESTIONS SPACE
MEDIA PROFILES Prioritize your time so that Your goal is to chat one-on-one Test your technology – Internet
Your résumé should be clear, you network with as many with recruiters. Prepare short reception, connection speed,
concise, up to date and employers as possible. Speak accomplishment stories and webcam, and microphone
targeted to the company. Have first with the companies that responses to typical interview quality. Be sure to find a clean,
a digital PDF copy ready to interest you the most. questions. Keep responses quiet and well-lit space.
submit online to recruiters and concise (60 secs) and sprinkle
hiring managers. Take the time your responses with a few
to update your social media of the keywords you found
profiles to ensure they match in the job posting or through
the information presented on your research. Don’t forget to
your résumé and showcase prepare a few questions to ask
your professionalism. recruiters; asking well-thought
out questions is as a sign of
your strong interest.

IT’S ALL ABOUT First impressions, Follow-up. Send an email For help building a
NETWORKING lasting impact! Treat every
networking opportunity like
the next day to each employer
you spoke with. Very few job
résumé or for more
information on topics
a mini interview. You only get seekers will follow-up, so this discussed, visit
Research! Find out everything one chance to make a good will set you apart. the myCareer portal
you can about the companies first impression. to schedule an
that interest you the most. Network online. If the appointment with
Use this knowledge for Be concise! Keep it short. company is on , a Career Advisor.
follow-up questions. This is where your well- add them to your connections.
practiced “elevator speech”
will come in handy.
 preparing for a career fair

Career Centre staff members are here to help you conquer the Career Fair like a pro.
Here are some tips that will help set you up for success.

6 THINGS TO BRING 5 THINGS TO TAKE AWAY

TO A CAREER FAIR FROM A CAREER FAIR
1. Digital PDF copies of your résumé. Be sure that it 1. Contact information of the recruiters you have met.
represents your knowledge, skills, and abilities effectively. Use this information to write follow-up notes to those
It needs to look professional, be easy to read, and be recruiters after the fair.
free of typos. If you are looking at several career options, 2. Notes about contacts you made. Have paper and a pen
you may want to have more targeted résumés prepared. with you or use the Résumé Tracking List provided to write
2. A smile, appropriate body language, and a positive down details about particular organizations, including the
attitude. It may seem obvious, but first impressions are names of people who you met with. Take a few minutes after
everything. Eye contact is very important to demonstrate you leave each virtual session to jot down these notes.
interest and engagement. Making eye contact means 3. Information about organizations you have contacted.
looking directly into the camera (not at yourself or Most recruiters will have information to share, including
the other person). company brochures, position descriptions, and other
3. Energy and focus! Create a spreadsheet or make a list data. Be sure to organize these electronic pieces for
of the companies you plan to meet with; use this list to easy reference.
collect contact information and track your follow-up. 4.  better sense of your career options. If you have utilized
A
4.  our confidence. It is important to speak slowly and
Y the event correctly, you will have made contact with several
clearly during a virtual conversation. Be sure not to talk organizations that hire people with your skills and interests.
over the other person – give them time to finish asking In thinking about their needs and your background, evaluate
or answering a question before speaking. Answer whether each company might be a match for you.
questions confidently and definitively, just like you 5. Self-confidence in interacting with employer representatives.
would at an in-person event. A Career Fair gives you the opportunity to practice your
5. Information about the organizations that will be interview skills. Use this experience to practice talking about
attending. Gather information as you would for a job what you have accomplished and what your interests are.
interview. To maximize the brief time you have with
each employer, you need to know how your skills
and interests match their needs. 5 THINGS NOT TO DO
AT A CAREER FAIR
6. Your professional communication skills. During a
virtual career fair much of your communication will be 1. Don't be impatient and leave a session, chat, or booth
done through written interactions in chat or texting if a recruiter does not respond in a timely manner.
form. To make a great first impression, you’ll want to They may have multiple conversations going on
demonstrate strong written communication skills. Spelling simultaneously.
and punctuation matter, and slang or shortened spelling 2. Don't sit/stand passively waiting for recruiters
of words are not appropriate. Just because you're sitting to initiate a chat with you. Take the lead.
on your couch instant messaging doesn't mean you
3. Don’t come dressed for the gym. A Career Fair
should forget to be professional–remember to address
is a professional activity, make sure you’re
recruiters as "Ms." and "Mr." Be polite. Same goes for an
dressed appropriately.
in-person Career Fair, You'll want to demonstrate strong
verbal communication. Speak clear and consisely. 4. Don’t “wing it” with employers. Do your homework!
Avoid strong terms as well. You’ll be able to figure out why you want to work for
the organization and what you can do for them prior
to meeting them.
5. Don't expect to be hired on the spot. Follow-up on job
opportunities that you discovered during the fair by sending
an email to those that you spoke with.

For help preparing a résumé or for more information on topics discussed, visit the myCareer portal to book an appointment
with a Career Advisor.
 crafting your elevator pitch

A QUICK INTRODUCTION
(name, college program or specialty and year, something personal
or memorable that is related to the job)

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE/CAREER GOALS

(I’m interested in a career in…”)

STEPS YOU’VE TAKEN TO GET THERE/EXPERIENCE

(“last summer I interned with…” or “I’m an active member of…” or
“my classes in… have taught me…”or “currently I am working for…”)

WHAT CAN YOU OFFER? (ADDED VALUE)

(“this summer I’d like to work at your company because…”
discuss skills and how you would benefit the organization)

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE (THEN SOLICIT FEEDBACK)

Like anything else, practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the more natural your pitch will become. Remember, how you
say it is just as important as what you say. Practice your pitch with a few friends and ask them what they thought your key points
were. If their response doesn’t square with your objective, the pitch still needs work.

For more Elevator Pitch resources, visit the Career Prep Online Modules, which can be accessed
from your myCambrian dashboard.
 questions to ask representatives

Take advantage of this opportunity to obtain first-hand information

about careers that interest you.

CONSIDER ASKING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

What types of jobs does your company/organization have for college graduates?

What are typical entry-level positions in this field? What duties and responsibilities do these positions entail?

What academic background would be most helpful in preparing me to enter this field?

What kind of work experience (part-time, summer, co-op) would be helpful to me?

Are there extracurricular activities I can pursue which will help me to prepare for work in this field?

What criteria does your company/organization use to assess candidates during interviews?

What advice do you have for a graduate entering this field?

Are there internship or co-op opportunities in this field?

Does your company have training programs for its employees?

What are the opportunities for career advancement?

How has COVID-19 had an impact on your organization and how you do business?
 résumé tracking list

Keep a record of the organizations to which you have submitted

your résumé and cover letter. This will help you manage your
follow-up on your applications.

Make sure to note the name of the person you have contacted
or to whom you have submitted application documents to.

NAME OF ORGANIZATION CONTACT PERSON FOLLOW UP DATE

 build your network with linkedin

Do you have LinkedIn? If not, you should!

LinkedIn has become a great online tool to market yourself.

More and more recruiters are using social media for employee prospects.

LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network on the internet. You can use LinkedIn to
find the right job or internship, connect and strengthen professional relationships, and learn
the skills you need to succeed in your career. You can access LinkedIn from a desktop, Linke-
dIn mobile app, mobile web experience, or the LinkedIn Lite Android mobile app.

A complete LinkedIn profile can help you connect with opportunities by showcasing your unique professional story through
experience, skills, and education. You can also use LinkedIn to organize offline events, join groups, write articles,
post photos and videos, and more.
• LinkedIn is a social network that focuses on professional networking and career development.
• You can use LinkedIn to display your résumé, search for jobs, and enhance your professional reputation by
posting updates and interacting with other people.
• LinkedIn is free, but a subscription version called LinkedIn Premium offers additional features like online
classes and seminars, as well as insights into who's searching for and viewing your profile.

TO ACCESS THE LINKEDIN LEARNING TRAINING,

visit the Cambrian IT Support section of your myCambrian student dasboard.