Before:
Research – know the employers attending the fair, familiarize yourself with their business, and have questions ready to ask your top three employers (questions that focus on their industry, their operations and their hiring needs)
Resume – proofread, get feedback from at least three people about your resume (pick the best editors you know), and bring plenty of copies (more than you plan on distributing)
Ready? – have everything ready to go the night before so that you are not hurried the day of the event. Make a checklist (similar to this) and review the day before:
1. professional outfit pressed ____
2. resumes reviewed and printed____
3. research completed____
4. top 3 employers identified____
5. map to job fair location printed____
6. supplies ready (pens, portfolio, business cards)____
Rest – get a good night’s sleep so you can be fresh, enthusiastic, and energetic the day of the job fair
Day of the job fair:
Relax – once you show up to the event, slow down, look over the event program and locate your most desirable employers – (make sure you get to those employers first, but still make time to talk to as many employers as possible, you never know who may have the best opportunity for you) and then go out there and be your outstanding professional self.
After the job fair:
Review – look over any notes you took at the job fair, any contact information you collected, and reflect on your performance during conversations with employers (always room for improvement) – do this as soon as you can after the event, so that your memory is fresh and you can move forward with your next steps
Re-connect – if any employer has asked you to follow-up, or if you have any lingering curiosity about a company or a position, take advantage of your new found contact information and re-connect with them. Building a strong network is key and a quick follow-up time is a good way to start new professional relationships.
