There is more competition in the job market than there was a few years ago, so it pays to get out there. Attending a job fair beats sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring. If nothing else, it's a place to schmooze and find out what's happening. Your approach to the fair may make a huge difference in whether you achieve satisfactory results.Joe was notified that he would be laid off at the end of the week. He did not waste any time finding ways to make connections with others. Joe had heard about a local job fair, and decided that would be his next step. Joe felt certain that today was the day he was going to find a job! When he arrived at the job fair he was not so certain anymore, once he realized how many people were there for the same reason. He was not prepared for what he encountered. As he made his way through the crowded aisles, he ran into people he had not seen for a while. Joe was very confused about what he was supposed to do next. Once Joe's friends explained what he "needed" to "master" job fairs he felt at ease.
Top 10 Tips:
1. Find out who is attending the job fair and which booths you want visit. Don't try to visit everyone, just focus on those that interest you.
2. You can view job openings using a listing sheet located inside the fair. Another way would be to use a computer to check openings if one is available.
3. Find the map of the floor plan - located where you check-in. Decide what is the best way to get to each company you want to visit.
4. Be positive and cheerful. Show up with an "I can" attitude; let them see that you are enthusiastic. It is important to show you are interested in the company, and want to hear what they have to say.
5. Find out who is doing the hiring and try to talk to that person. There are different departments within the company that can give you information about the company, but your goal is to talk to the person doing the hiring.
6. Explain to the people who are talking with you that you have certain skills, which they might find useful. Sell yourself - know what you are going to say before you show-up -- limit these explanations to no more then two minutes. You need to make them remember you, engage them with your uniqueness.
7. Collect businesses cards from people you talk with so that you can call to check the status of the position.
8. Follow up by sending a letter and another copy of your resume to human resources and the hiring manager. Mention that you talked with them, or a company representative, at the fair. Tell them how excited you are about the position. Let them know you are the solution to their problem -- you can make a difference and add value.
9. Let them know you are still interested, give them a call to follow up on the position about a week after you send your follow up resume.
10. Job fairs are a great way to find a job. You can do further research on the companies that you did not visit at the job fair. If you did not make it by their booth, check out their Web site to see if they have job openings that you might be interested in. Try not to be overwhelmed by the size of the job fair or the number of job seekers in attendance. Keep focused on the companies you want to interview with. Don't be discouraged if you don't go home with a job offer or formal interview lined up. This should be just one step in your research and networking process.Consider any new contacts you meet or information gathered at the job fair as a positive addition to your resources. Be persistent in your endeavors -- job opportunities sometimes come from the least expected sources at the most unexpected times.
by Carole Martin
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 Comment(s):
Post a Comment