Students:  How To Get The Most Out Of Job Expo

Tips for Participating in Job Fairs

What is Job Expo? Job Expo is a career fair where recruiters from a variety of businesses and organizations make themselves available to students and alumni.  You benefit from attending a job fair in four ways: gaining information about career fields; networking with identified employers who can provide information about a particular career field; gathering information about careers to make a choice; job searching with targeted employers.

1. Dress Professionally - Wear a suit. Handle this as you would a regular interview.

2. Wear comfortable shoes - Lines are frequently long and you should expect to wait, especially for some of the popular companies.

3. Resumes - Bring a supply of resumes to hand out to the companies.

4. Take a portfolio/briefcase to hold resumes and corporate literature.

5. Prepare a "one minute commercial" - Think about your strong points, your goals, the company and where you want to go within the company.

6. Be prepared to discuss where you want to work geographically what you like doing, what you’re looking for in a job, and what your most relevant skills are.

7. Arrive early - Plan on extra time for checking in.

8. Network - While you are waiting in line, talk to others. You may hear about opportunities of which you were unaware.

9. Be assertive and show initiative - shake hands and introduce yourself to recruiters when you reach the table.

10. Be enthusiastic - Employer surveys identify the single most important personal attribute students can bring to their first regular employment position is Enthusiasm. So, smile and project interest in the company.

11. There will be many applicants approaching employers at the same time you are…DON’T BE OVERWHELMED by the experience. Keep a positive attitude and concentrate on the benefits of the experience.

12. Explore options - A wide variety of companies will normally participate. This is an excellent opportunity to browse and indulge your curiosity.