Attending your first job fair can be a daunting task, you're worried about tons of things like what should I wear? What should I say? What should I bring? Damn, my palms are already sweaty! Well if you are planning on attending your first job fair, here are ten things to keep note of before, during and after:
1. Make sure your outfit is a neat and professional, nothing too colorful or flashy but just enough to make a good first impression.
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2. Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! Make sure your shoes are professional as well, no one ever made a good first impression wearing sneakers or stilettos (ladies, I'm talking to you).
3. Bring your tools, when attending a job fair make sure you are well equipped to market your skills, your experience and most importantly yourself. Be sure to bring your resume or CV with you!
4.Have a game plan. Before attending the fair, look up the employers who are going to be there and make a list of who or what companies you are going to scout out. This can help you navigate the fair and narrow down your search.
5. Today is the day! So the day as arrived and you enter the fair. If there is a sing up sheet, sing in, some employers may want to reference the head count and contact info!
6. Take a name tag. When greeting someone, be sure you name tag is clearly printed and laying on the right side of your chest or the same side that you shake with.
7.Scope out the venue and find your employers of interest, then head to them in what ever order you would like.
8. It is also good to keep in mind which skills you would like to express to each employer when meeting them, kind of like having a set script to recite to each one that you meet.
9. Be sure to hand out your resume with your contact information, and in return ask for their card or contact info.
10. Now that the fair is over, make sure you write your thank you emails and follow up with each person you personally spoke to. It may seem tedious, but a little thank you goes a long way.
Good Luck!
