What to do at the Industrial Roundtable Frequently Asked Questions/Job Fair Preparation for Students Before the fair Know which employers are attending. See the career fair / job fair list. The sponsor of each fair is listed at www.purdueesc.org or find a paper copy of the guidebook as the fair approaches. On the website, you'll see a master list of companies and a searchable guidebook that will help you narrow down your search according to major , year, and position that the company is looking for (full-­‐time, intern, co-­‐op). Do enough research to make "A" &"B" lists of employers to meet. Depending on the fair and how many employers interest you, you might not have time to speak with every employer (and every employer may not be offering what you seek). You don't need to study employers' financial reports to prepare, but you do need to have some sense of what the organization does, and if there is a fit between your skills and interests and the employer's needs Have plenty of copies of your resume ready. You might need to prepare more than one version. Always take print copies of your resume to a career / job fair, even if you submitted your resume in advance to the Center for Career Opportunities online at the CCO Express https://www.cco.purdue.edu/Common/CCOExpress.shtml Be prepared that some employers cannot accept hard copy resumes and will ask you to apply online. This is to comply with federal regulations about the way employers keep data on applicants. February 2006 federal regulations had an impact on employers, online job hunters, and how status as a job candidate is determined. In order to comply with these regulations, many employers are requiring all job applicants to apply for jobs online on the employer's web site. This does not mean the employer is giving you the brush-­‐off, and it does not mean the employer is wasting time by attending the fair and talking with you. The employer reps may well be taking note of candidates — you and others — in whom they are interested, but they have to follow certain procedures to comply with law. Prepare a 20 to 30 second introduction to use with employers. You don't want to sound like a telephone solicitor reading a script; you do want to sound like you thought about why you're there. It might be something like, "Hello. I'm Joe Smith, a junior in Chemical Engineering. I'm looking for an internship related to green energy for next summer. I read on your web site that (name of company) has an internship program in your corporate sustainability department, and I've done some project work that I believe is related to the internship work. I'm very interested in your program." Keep in mind that some employer representatives may take control of the conversation quickly and you may do more listening than speaking, but you do want to be prepared to be proactive rather than passive. Know the dress code. A suit and tie are not necessary for the Industrial Roundtable, as it is a two day, outdoor job fair. Business formal helps impress a company representative, but the weather could be inconvenient to wear a full suit. Company representatives usually dress in business casual (with a polo and slacks). Just remember to iron your clothes and tuck your shirt in and you should be good to go! At the fair Watch your manners and mannerisms — all those things your parents drilled into you when you were a child (and a few more). Stand up straight, don't hang your mouth open, don't fidget, do speak up and speak clearly, don't chew gum or smell like smoke. Have a good handshake and make good eye contact. Don't be misled into thinking of the fair as a social event. Employers often send recently-­‐hired new graduates to career fairs. Don't fall into the mistake of interacting on a social level and forgetting that you are being judged on your potential to function in the work environment. Carry a simple padfolio to keep your resumes organized and ready. The Industrial Roundtable is an outdoor career fair and it gets congested with many people in long lines and the heat can add to the stress of the day. Be ready to hand employers the appropriate resume. Be prepared for employers to give you literature and give-­‐away items (pens, cups, t-­‐shirts, etc.). Bottom line is that you want to look like an organized person because that's an asset in an employee. Have an open mind. You may have 12 employers on your target list to speak with. If you have extra time, or have to wait to speak with an employer, take advantage of the opportunity to chat with other employers who aren't busy. You might learn something to your advantage to your surprise. At the least, you'll be practicing initiating a conversation in a less formal business environment — and this is an essential skill in any work environment. This is your opportunity to be evaluated on more than just your resume. In many aspects of the job search, your resume (and cover letter) is (are) all the employer sees to determine whether to interview you. At a fair, you have an opportunity to stand out in person in a way that you might not on your resume. Interpersonal skills, communication skills and work-­‐place-­‐appropriate social skills are critical. Many employers evaluate these skills heavily, because they want to hire people who can make a good impression on their clients and customers. Handshakes are critical. Excellent article on this topic: http://www.campuscareercenter.com/students/article.asp?news_id=815 How can I be successful at a job or career fair? Prepare well Plan an introduction or “elevator speech” Read about the attending employers in advance to determine a match with qualifications Use your time effectively at the fair What if I'm not ready to look for a job/just a freshman? Go to learn more about jobs. Employers are impressed when freshmen and sophomores introduce themselves at career fairs. Part of the point is to learn more about what employers have to offer. Fairs are rare opportunities to talk with lots of people and learn about jobs straight from the source. You still need to do some research and have good interpersonal skills . The difference is that your goal is to get career information, not get a job (yet). Eavesdrop. Listen to the conversations between students and employers. Get the idea of how things go. What are some sample questions/topics to ask representatives once I finally am able to talk to a representative? 1. Mention any related experience that you have and inquire about how this would affect your opportunities within the organization. 2. What types of people do well within your organization? 3. What are typical career paths for college graduates starting in an entry-­‐level position in ” ” field? 4. What types of skills are the most important to your organization? 5. How do I obtain additional information about your organization? Do you have a web site? 6. How should I apply for a position within your organization? After the fair Apply online. Most companies have students apply online and create a profile and submit their resume to the company website. Be sure to follow up on all the conversations you had with the various companies. Prepare for the interview. If you obtain an interview with a company, make sure you research the company and position even further. Be ready for a behavioral interview and answer questions/situations using the STAR method of interviewing Situation: give an example of a situation you were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome
Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation
Action: talk about the various actions involved in the situation’s task
Results: what results directly followed because of your actions
Send a thank you card to your interviewer(s). Many representatives move from job fair to job fair in the fall, so sending a letter via USPS might be slow. Try sending a quick thank you email with a personal touch by stating something that was said in the interview or what you enjoyed about the interview. References (and more helpful information) https://www.cco.purdue.edu/ https://www.cco.purdue.edu/Common/CCOJobSearchManual.pdf http://www.campuscareercenter.com/students/article.asp?news_id=815 http://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/JobCareerFairPrep.html#should