The Wackerle Corner:
A season for career fairs

By: Andrea Emery
News Editor

As the spring semester begins, so does the season for career fairs. This tends to be the busiest time for these events to occur, because it is a time when many students are preparing to graduate and many employers are preparing to hire.

According to Careerbuilder.com, career fairs are great places to begin job searching. These events provide job seekers, oftentimes students just like you, vital time with companies which are actively looking for qualified candidates. Career fairs are a great opportunity for job-seekers because they offer an array of different employers seeking to fill an array of different positions all under the same roof.

Career fairs can be an excellent way to jump start your job search or just check out your options. They provide you the chance to meet and greet the maximum amount of employers in a minimum amount of time. They also provide an outstanding backdrop for you to sharpen your interviewing and networking skills. When the time comes for a more formal interview, you will be glad that you had the practice.

There are many steps to begin preparing yourself for attending a career fair. Doing a little homework beforehand will tip the scales in your favor when you walk through that career fair door.

Do some research ahead of time. Find out what companies will be participating in the job fair, and decide on which ones interest you. Once you have determined that, researching information about those companies can never hurt. In fact, recruiters tend to be more impressed by candidates who know something about their organizations. As you learn more about the company, think about questions that you may want to ask the representative at the fair.

Although this is a time for you to show what qualifications you have for a position, it is also the time to take the initiative to ask questions about the company yourself. Asking questions demonstrates true interest, and recruiters are interested in candidates who are interested in them. Besides, it isn’t often that you have the opportunity to interview the company before decided whether or not you want to pursue employment there.

Confidence is a must. Practice letting your true personality shine through when talking with potential employers. No company is going to hire someone, no matter how qualified, who lacks confidence. This is not the time to be modest. When you are in a room with hundreds or even thousands of other candidates, you need to make sure that you leave a positive impression.

Don’t forget to bring your resume. It is important that your resume is updated and free of all grammatical and spelling errors. Your resume alone will not get you the job. However, a strong resume combined with a confident greeting and impressive conversation just might get your foot in the door.

Most importantly, remember employers visiting career fairs are searching for employees who would fit well in their respective companies. Just as job candidates differ, so do employers. Each has different expectations and culture. As individuals differ, so do employers. Employers are looking for employees who are mature, honest, reliable and trustworthy.

Remember that you are selling yourself to an employer when job searching. With confidence, eye contact and a well-organized resume, you will be one step closer to employment.