Career Expo Tips

A career fair is a great place to meet a large number of employers in a central location. Here are a few tips to consider to make the experience a bit better than just wandering around passing out resumes. The career fair offers an advantage over the normal way of applying for a position through mailing or dropping off your resume to a company. With a career fair, you have that face to face meeting that you normally would not achieve until..or if...you got called in for an interview. With that in mind, it is to your benefit to use this short meeting to impress and hopefully stand out enough to get the call back.

Be neat, clean and professional, and watch your manners. Stand up straight, speak clearly, smell clean, and don't be chewing gum. Dress for success, speak politely and professionally, and try to avoid slang or street talk if at all possible. A smile goes a long way too in presenting yourself as an active, outgoing professional.

Handshakes are often an overlooked item, but they can be an important aspect of the initial meeting. It is courteous to pause for a moment and await the other person to extend the hand, but if not, then by all means extend yours. When you offer your hand, look the other person directly in the eye, and with a smile speak your name if this is the first time you have met. If they likewise state their name, it is always good to repeat their name - "nice to meet you, Steve" - as this will help you remember the name as the conversation goes on. A handshake is properly conducted by placing your hand fully into their hand, web to web, and applying a firm, but not painful grip. Be aware not to offer just your fingertips, and do not release from a shake in a forceful downward manner. A firm, confident shake is always better than a lifeless, limp, cold dead handshake.

Carry a simple pad folio, and have multiple copies of your resume handy; always bring more than you think you will need, as you do not want to run out. Many employers at these events will be giving out memorabilia with their company logo on it. Be careful in picking up too many of these, because you'll have to haul them with you from table to table, which can make you appear less organized. The appearance of organization is a big plus with most employees.

If you do a little research of some of the attending companies that you expect to approach, this will better prepare you to cater your short conversation to highlight how your specific skills fit in with their company agenda. It is a good idea to do a little research on all of the companies attending. You may feel like targeting some of the big ones, but never turn down a chance to check out some of the others, to meet people, to network, and find out more about them.

Career fairs can be tiring as you are walking from booth to booth and standing on your feet all day. Be refreshed before attending, so that with each meeting you can portray the same high energy confidence, because this is the time to shine and stand out. At the career fair you are not just another resume in the pile, your resume comes alive and you have that personal meeting that could get your resume personally annotated for further consideration. Interpersonal and communicative skills are important to employers, and this is the time to really make a great impression through a strong connection.

Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Armed Services Jobs blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog site.