raSmith’s Post

Excited to share insights on making the most of university career fairs! Whether you're prepping your resume or refining your elevator pitch, these tips can help you stand out and land that next opportunity. Check out my blog to learn how to maximize your career fair experience and make lasting connections. #CareerTips #Networking #JobSearch

I always say that university career fairs are golden opportunities to meet employers face-to-face, learn more about potential opportunities, make a memorable impression, and follow-up to generate interviews. And now there is some data to substantiate that. September is when many employers will kick off their search for great interns and soon-to-be post graduation new hires. Without a doubt, students who jump into the search with both feet in September prepared to engage with employers proactively, confidently and effectively are the students who are most likely to secure great positions (and do so faster and with greater ease) when compared with peers who either go in unprepared or who wait until second semester is well underway. Here’s what I recommend: 1. Update your resume to reflect your accomplishments achieved and skills gained through summer employment. No matter what work you did this summer, you gained valuable skills that will enhance your ability to help a future employer to solve challenges, whether it’s learning a new technical skill or persevering through a challenge to get the job done. Go beyond listing tasks to include how you benefited your employer. 2. After you identify the types of roles you’re looking for, think about how you can quickly convey to an employer why they should take the time to get to know more about you, and then turn your introduction into a brief conversation so you can get insights in the company and make yourself memorable (in a good way 😄) 3. Make a plan for how to “attack” the fair. Pick the top 5-10 employers you are most interested in meeting, and research them for a nugget or two you can share about what interests you in the company so they can see you have done your homework and that you’re interested in them, not just any company. Then ask the employer a question to get a conversation going. 4. GET CONTACT INFORMATION AND SEND A FOLLOW-UP NOTE!! Following up after the fair is the critical difference between a nice interaction and one that turns into an interview. 5. Be prepared for an interview. Getting interviews is half the battle and they’re not always easy to get. When you go to a career fair properly prepared and then follow-up with a note and job application, you raise your chances of getting an interview considerably. And that’s great!! But interview invitations can follow very quickly so you want to be interview ready so you can make the most of it! Don’t wait until you have an interview to prepare for the interview. 80% of interview preparation for any one job is the same because you are who you are and you’ve done what you’ve done. It’s only that last 20% that needs to be tailored for a specific employer and role. If you’re ready to interview before you have one, you will go into your interviews much more prepared, confident, and relaxed — and it will show in your performance!! So get out there and put your best foot forward!! Let me know if I can help. I’m rooting for you!

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.

Career fairs are a great place for connecting with potential employers and making new professional contacts. See this post for five tips that can help you make the most of these career-building events.