Making the Most of the Minnesota Education Job Fair
Career Development Center  209 Wigley Administration
507-389-6061  www.mnsu.edu/cdc
Date and Logistics
Monday, April 13, 2015
How to Secure a Teaching Job Presentation9:00am-10:00am
10:00am-3:00pm Fair Hours
(Interviews run until 5:00pm)
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55403
http://mnedfair.org
Directions
• From the South (I-35W)
Follow downtown exit signs to the 11th Street exit and follow 11th
Street to 2nd Avenue South. Turn left on 2nd Avenue South and go 1
block to Convention Center.
• From the West (I-94)
Take the 4th Street exit from I-94 and proceed to 2nd Avenue South.
(Do NOT turn right onto 2nd Avenue North.) Turn right on 2nd Avenue
South and go 8 blocks to Convention Center.
• From the West (I-394)
Take Downtown exit (12th Street): follow 12th Street South to 2nd
Avenue South and turn right. The Convention Center is on your left
• Additional driving directions
Parking
• There are multiple parking ramps in the area.
• Select one that is near, but have a backup plan
as they fill up quickly.
• Bring enough cash for all-day parking, they may
not take credit cards.
• $25 should be plenty for all day parking in
Minneapolis.
• Click here for additional parking rates.
Preparing for the Fair-What to do
• Review the check list prior to the event
• Review school district registrations
• Gather additional information on districts you
are interested in
• Rehearse your “30-60 second verbal resume”
• Get your resume reviewed by sending it to
cdc@mnsu.edu by Wednesday, April 1.
• Be ready to talk about your strengths AND
provide examples of these!
Preparing for the Fair-What to Bring
• RESUMES! 25+ If you need guidance on developing your
resume, visit the CDC Job Search Handbook
• Padfolio
• Notepad & pen
• Notes on any school district research you have done or
correspondence you have received from districts
• $$$ and other personal necessities
• Mini-interview portfolio for use in interviews
• Bag or a purse, not both
• HINT: Keep materials streamlined, don’t overload
yourself with too much to carry.
Preparing for the Fair-What to Wear
• Dress conservatively and professionally
• A suit is not absolutely required, but a safe bet and makes a
great first impression
• Women (Click here for Video)
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Close-toed heals/flats (comfortable shoes!)
Limit jewelry and makeup
Be aware of skirt length and revealing necklines
Pantyhose with skirts is a must!
• Men (Click here for Video)
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Clean shaven/trimmed
Dress socks (no white athletic socks)
Tie is a must
Matching belt and shoes
Preparing for the Fair-What to Wear
When You Get to the Fair
• Drop by the MSU registration table & pick up your name
badge, map of the layout, and schedule of district
presentations
• Orient yourself to the facility and find a quiet area and
review your district info, plan your strategy, etc.
• Break away from your group of friends if you arrived with
one and take on the fair independently
• Don’t be intimidated by the initial “rush” of candidates!
• Observe how other candidates are approaching and
interacting with districts…learn from them!
Plan of Attack
• Get there early and expect to stay all day
• Create a prioritized list of districts you most want
to visit
• Try not to make the district you really want to
work for your very first or very last stop
• If the line for a district is long, it may be more
efficient to check back later in the day
• Give yourself some time to eat, take breaks, and
write down notes throughout the day
General Guidelines at the Fair
• Maintain professionalism throughout the entire event—
even when at lunch or walking to your car
• Take time between booths to write down some notes, get a
drink, and collect your thoughts
• Reflect after each interaction with an employer and think
about what went well and what you can do differently
• Pace yourself—you don’t have to visit all your booths in 30
minutes, but you also want to leave time for interviewing
• Be confident while also being yourself
• Utilize positive self-talk and encouragement
• Relax, deep breaths, and you will do great!
Approaching the Booth…
• Respect the privacy of others as you approach the booth
• Remember, you are “on stage” at all times, which
includes standing in line and moving around the booth
area
• Make eye contact immediately when introducing yourself
• Give a firm handshake to get you off to a good start
• Remember the recruiter’s name. If you forget, casually
refer to their nametag.
• SMILE and be polite--show your enthusiasm!
Approaching the Booth Cont.
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Do not fidget or play with your hair
Do not look around when talking or being spoken to
Do not chew gum
Listen carefully to what the recruiter has to say
Avoid using filler words such as “um”, “like”, “you know”
Show confidence in your voice
Offer a resume
Ask for a business card or write down the recruiters name
Ask what the hiring procedure/timeline is for that district,
you want to make sure you are doing it right!
What to Say…
• Introduce yourself with confidence!
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Name
Licensure area
What you know about their school district
Provide them with a resume
Share some of your experiences that are relevant such as
where you are student teaching, volunteer experience, etc.
– Ask questions about their organization and positions available
– Get a business card!
• Watch this video on Career Fair Success
Winding Down…
• Double check to ensure you’ve talked to all the districts of
interest and you have their contact information
• Make any last minute notes from the day
• Ensure you have all of your belongings and you’re not
leaving anything behind
• Regroup with friends, but remember to keep all talk positive
and be professional
You Got an Interview!? GREAT!
• Have a 3-point agenda: 1) what am I looking for? 2) what do I
have to offer this district? 3) what questions do I have for
this particular district?
• Be a good listener as well as a good talker! Take your cues
from the interviewer (when do I end my response? When is
the interview over?)
• Generate & maintain interest by smiling and responding
with SPECIFIC & CONCISE answers/examples…keep your
voice lively, maintain a pleasant tone, & use humor
appropriately
• Respond truthfully, while always painting a positive picture
of yourself (ex. “I have not yet had the opportunity to…but
in a similar situation I…”)
Interviewing Cont.
• Request school district information if you do not already
have it, also request application materials & a copy of the
interviewer’s business card
• Ask about the hiring process and a timeline…determine
actual and potential openings
• Offer a firm handshake at the end of the interview
• Walk away with confidence, remember, you are still “on
stage”!
• HINT: Immediately following the interview, go to a quiet
area an make notes on topics of conversation, contact
names, follow-up procedures, etc. Don’t rely on your
memory for this!
• Watch a video
After the Fair
• Congratulate yourself on a job well done!
• Send a thank-you letter within 3 days of the event
• Write to any prospective employers you are still interested
in whether you talked with them at the Fair or not
• Follow-up with any employers in which you said you would
• Debrief--what would you do differently the next time?
• Keep good records of contact including dates of your
emails/phone calls and copies of all application materials
which you send
• Don’t measure your success by the number of interviews
that you have at the fair--all of your hard work will pay off,
just be patient!
Additional Websites
• CDC Website with specific Education links (click on the link
below, then “Education” and scroll down for K-12)
http://www.mnsu.edu/cdc/students/jobs_and_internships/s
earch_coe.html
• K-12 School search:
http://dir.yahoo.com/Education/K_12/Schools/
• http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/
• U.S. Department of Education for Teachers:
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/landing.jhtml?src=fp
Good Luck!
See you at the Fair!