Rules of Going to Job Fairs
By John Zaremba, eHow Contributor
Career/Job fairs can be intimidating and nerve-wracking, but they can also be a fantastic way to develop business contacts and find a job. Much like the workplace, they cater to those who are best prepared and driven to succeed.
Be Prepared
If necessary, register to attend the fair. You don't want to show up and not be admitted. Also, know which companies will be there, which ones interest you, and, if possible, who will be there to represent the company. Bring the appropriate number of resumes and a few extras, along with any appropriate additional materials (a portfolio, for example.)
Get ready to sell yourself. You may only have a moment of face-to-face time with the recruiter, so prepare a short statement about yourself and your best qualities.
Nail the Introduction
Employers are looking for people who are competent, confident and engaging. When you meet the recruiter, use a firm handshake, make eye contact and speak clearly. What you say is important, but how you say it is also crucial. Be professional but friendly, and use the recruiter's name, especially at the beginning and end of the conversation. "Bill, great to meet you, I appreciate your time" is a far better closing than "Um, thanks."
Know Your Stuff
Once you've decided which companies you'd like to speak to, do some homework. Search the Internet for news reports from reputable sources (the Wall Street Journal, trade magazines). Find out about new company endeavors, and when you speak to the recruiter, make it clear that you're well-informed about his company and the industry in general.
Get Contact Information
Most recruits at the job fair are going for the kill. They want a job and they want it now. But keep your long-term game in mind; perhaps your ideal employer isn't hiring right now, but soon will be, or will be in a year or two when you've gained some additional experience. Get a business card from everyone you meet that day. Follow-up with a quick note of thanks for their time, and don't be afraid to keep them posted (within reason, of course) on your career developments. Good managers will recognize this as ambition, and it will help them keep you in mind next time they're hiring.
Dress Well
There is a great saying for anyone who is searching for a job: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Even if you feel over-dressed, that's far better than being under-dressed. You don't want to be the only person in jeans and a T-shirt. (See other side for article about Dressing for Job Fairs.)
Dressing for Job Fairs
By Marky Stein, Interview Expert for Monster.com
Have you ever considered wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt to a job fair? After all, you're probably going to be on your feet all day, so you might as well forget the suit and tie or hosiery and high heels in favor of comfort. And who gets hired at a job fair anyway? The people in the booths are usually low- to mid-level recruiters with very little say in the hiring process, and you're really just there to drop off a resume and move on to the next booth.
The US Department of Labor says 16 percent to 18 percent of all job seekers find jobs at career fairs. So the reality is that your formal interview begins the moment the person behind the booth lays eyes on you.
Most job seekers know you have to kick it up a notch -- or even two -- for an interview. So why do so many slack off when dressing for a job fair? Perhaps it's because you really can't read the minds of the people behind those booths. They all seem cheerful and sociable, but what are they really thinking? What is their power in the hiring process, and just how important is your manner of dress to them?
What Recruiters Say
Several years ago, in an effort to help my own career-coaching clients make the most of career fairs, I did an informal survey of more than 40 job fair recruiters. These recruiters described their gut reactions to both people who dressed extremely casually and those who obviously had taken the time to sport clean, pressed, conservative formalwear. Frankly, the results were startling.
Almost universally, recruiters at these events said that, simply on the basis of seeing the job seeker -- and before the seeker ever reached their booth, talked to them or handed over their resume -- that the prospect dressed in extremely casual clothing struck them as being unprepared, irresponsible, less capable, less educated, less qualified and possessing poor work habits.
On the other hand, they described more formally dressed individuals as capable, well-educated, intelligent, trustworthy and responsible -- the people they wanted to hire.
Now we all know that wearing faded jeans, a sweater and tennis shoes certainly does not make you less intelligent or capable than someone dressed in more traditionally formal business clothes. It's absurd to base a hiring decision on the basis of appearance. Isn't it?
Mind Your First Impressions
As much as you may hate to admit it, most people do judge other people within seconds of meeting them. Ever experienced love at first sight -- or the opposite? Making a conscious or subconscious decision in the first few seconds you see someone doesn't mean you're a snob; it means you're human. And so are the folks who recruit at job fairs.
A formal study of hiring managers in more than 400 companies by the San Jose Mercury News concluded the average employer makes a hiring decision within 15 seconds of meeting you. The study simply illustrates a point that psychologists and scientists have known for a long time: A part of the human brain is specifically designed to size up a stranger in the first few seconds. It is a built-in feature of the human nervous system to determine, within seconds, whether a stranger approaching us is friend or foe. And that's the very mechanism that drives employers, recruiters and human resource representatives to (perhaps not consciously) evaluate a person on the basis of appearance.
Dress the Part
As with a job interview, first impressions at a job fair are important. How you represent yourself sends an immediate message to employers about how serious you are in your job search. It isn't always necessary to wear a suit to a job fair - unless you are looking for a job that would require you to dress professionally at work. However, you should leave the jeans and t-shirts at home.
Business Casual is usually the most appropriate at a job fair - nice slacks and a collared shirt for men and nice slacks or a skirt and a blouse for women are appropriate. Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed. Avoid wearing excessive jewelry or clothing that is too short or revealing….and cover up those tattoos!
In Summary…
So when you get ready to attend a job fair, pull out a professional outfit, pick some business like shoes, get your hair trimmed and go for it!