My Career Fair Experience... and some tips

Last week I attended a career fair (my first one actually). I planned that I'd do everything right. I arrived a half hour early, wore the proper attire, and had an optimistic mindset.

Well, to my surprise, there was already a line of over 40 (maybe even 50) people that formed outside the building, not everyone wore business attire (I glimpsed some sneakers and jeans here and there), and not everyone was as positive as I thought one might as well be (two guys behind me were discussing their failed attempts at obtaining a job and how difficult the job market is and how they were called in to interviews, yet received no follow-up and blah, blah... you get the picture).

There were a lot of things that caught my attention while I was on the line and while I was inside the building.

A Career Fair || Courtesy of flickr.com

So, before you nose dive into a job or career fair, how about using the following guidelines as your floaties?


Arrive early
You won't be the only person who has this idea in mind. The lady who stood behind me was all the way from New Jersey and I'm sure there were other non-New Yorkers waiting on line with me. Although the career fair was from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and no one is required to be there promptly at 11 a.m., depending on how spacious the indoor venue is, chances are entry will be done in groups. So, the earlier you arrive, the less likely you are to be in a line that wraps around the block (something I was able to avoid).


Eat breakfast

Courtesy of flickr.com

It was a pretty hot day and standing on that line for what I knew would be a half hour or more wasn't easy. I saw a young woman in line, sitting off to the side on the concrete, in some shade and hadn't paid much attention to her until the line started to inch forward. She got up unsteadily to rejoin the line and asked the man and woman in front of me for a drink of their water. The couple exchanged glances and the woman hesitantly offered the lady the water bottle she was sharing with her beau. After the lady brought the spout directly to her lips, the woman told her to keep it and the man asked if she was ok. At that point, I realized how pale she looked, as if she was about to faint at any second. The woman who offered her the drink helped her to the front of the line and returned several moments later solo. Apparently by the time they reached the front to talk to security about her condition, the lady could barely stand up on her own.

I'm not sure what that lady's situation was, but generally speaking, heat mixed with hunger isn't a very nice combination. Prepare a light breakfast before you leave the house, because you just never know how long you may have to wait before you eat a decent meal. It could leave you weak, or irritable and you want to be as alert as possible once you arrive inside.


Be prepared... really
So many people think that they're prepared, but in actuality, they're far from it. The night before the interview, make sure you have resumes printed and stacked neatly in a folder or briefcase, have your clothes pressed and ready to go and your shoes polished. Not only that, but when going to a career fair, you want to know what to expect. Be sure to research the companies that will be in attendance and the ones that stick out the most.

If the company rep asks you if you visited their website, you may think you can lie a white lie and get away with it, but good luck inventing answers for questions about a site you didn't bother to look at prior. You've got to do your homework; it's that simple. Prepare questions to ask the company reps and be sure the answers cannot be found simply on their website.


Look like you want a job

Courtesy of flickr.com

Inside, while I was waiting inside to speak to one of the company reps, a woman who was also waiting shrugged and said she's gone to plenty of career fairs and always dressed up, but this time decided she wasn't going to. She planned that she'd still look decent, yet relaxed. Although there's nothing wrong with feeling relaxed, looking too relaxed may come off as nonchalance to prospective employers.

Ladies, if you've suddenly gotten tired of dressing up for career fairs, don't even think about going in dark jeans and sneakers. The day you do so, just might be the day you connect well with a job rep, but he/she didn't take you seriously enough due to your preferred clothing.
Fellas, you may not like the uncomfortable suit and tie, but if you need a job as much as you claim, you'll leave the "swag" behind and dress to impress the ones looking for the right candidate.


Act like you want a job
When I was finished speaking to one of the company reps, I firmly shook her hand with a smile and proceeded to fill out my information on the available form. Next to me, a young lady approached the desk rather hesitantly. She said a soft "Hi," and the rep responded with a jovial greeting.
*Silence*
"So what are you interested in?" The rep asked her. The girl provided the answer softly, but with uncertainty.
*Silence*
"So are you interested in ___[Company name]___?" The rep asked, obviously feeling the strain of the conversation. "Yes," the girl responded. *Silence*

I couldn't believe it!

Of course, years ago I was probably one of the shyest people around, so speaking confidently to strangers was something pretty difficult for me to do. However, with practice and leadership positions I was granted at my university, it helped mold me into a more assertive person. Sure, I'm still quiet and sometimes soft-spoken, but when events call for voice projection and boldness, then it's something I know I have to do and be no matter what. If you want a job, you have step out of your comfort zone and play the part.


Don't drop your resume and run 
So many people love to show their face at career fairs, toss their resume on a table and leave.

What's the point?

If your goal is to obtain a job, use your presence to your advantage as you hand over your resume that says so much about you. If the rep tosses your resume in the pile of resumes in the corner, well then, this is your chance to let your resume shine through. Show your interest, be polite, and inquire about the company--something not mentioned on their website that you'd like answers to. The more opportunities you get to talk with someone, the more chances you have to build a promising connection.


Be open-minded
It seemed like a majority of the tables were of no relevance to me, a writer/blogger and prospective Journalist/Editor. I was by no means interested in Insurance companies or Medicine or Nutrition, but I went around to most tables inquiring about their websites and possible positions that I could fit into.

My last stop was a table where a woman who apparently was providing resume tips and suggestions. I felt like my resume was fine the way it is, but I decided to be open to more suggestions and waited in the short line. I was feeling pretty disappointed that my stops at the other tables seemed to be of no help to me, but decided that maybe this woman could offer advice for ways I could enhance my resume.

When it was my turn, the woman, Ms. Catherine Schuller (co-founder of Your Image Power) and I ended up having a much longer conversation compared to the other job-seekers. She said that the company was in search of freelance writers to provide content for its website and after telling her my writing experience and qualifications, the next thing I knew, she said I was the missing link the company needed. She asked if I was available to do a few postings for the company and I accepted. Just like that. Networking is a definite by-product of any career fair, and you just never know who you will meet and what opportunities will arise.

The point is, Career Fairs can be a bit nerve-racking for some and "just-another-job-fair" for others, but going in with the right attitude and readiness will be very beneficial to you. 
The job market can be pretty demanding and plain frustrating to the job-seeker, but don't give up, because the moment you do you might miss out on the perfect opportunity that was just around the corner.