Attending job fairs and career trades is one of the best and easiest ways to look for an employment. Hence many graduating students and fresh-grads as well as normal job-seekers tend to find a sweet fortune by lining up behind thousands of applicants, vying for a single position.
Standing out from a crowd of hopefuls and aspirants in a job fair is mostly the main struggle of many. Not to mention the high competition rising among applicants on each selected job. In such case, how will you be able to grab the position you want?
Quintessential revealed the top 10 most basic yet most important things to remember when attending a certain job expo. Here is our sorted list with the most useful tips to help you stand out among the rest of possible candidates for a job.
Be Prepared
Joining job fairs can be compared with battling a war. As the cliché goes, the one without a weapon certainly losses the battle. Hence, first and foremost, be sure to be armored completely with the necessary things which you will be needing along the way.
An example of which is to bring a number of resumes or Curriculum Vitae (CV), pen and paper, portfolios and other requirements like photocopies of your valid IDs, licenses or certificates which will certainly add up to your credentials. Aside from such, being prepared also means learning the right information regarding the company and the job that you wanted to apply for. Thus, researching and studying prior to attending a career fair is a must.
Select wisely and take your time
A job fair may be enticing as it showcases a lot of companies offering numerous vacancies. However, you must not indulge into each one you see, rather, apply only for your desired positions. Otherwise, you might only be wasting your time as well as missing other greater opportunities.
On the other hand, do not close your doors to other positions which may be offered in lieu of the position you applied for. Always ask for any related position in case of a job disqualification or filled-in jobs, for there may be other work you are more suitable for.
Be direct but polite
Accept the fact that you are given lesser attention in a job fair than if you applied separately and were given an appointment. Hence, speaking direct to the point is essential. Introduce yourself, by stating your most valuable information such as your personal info (name, age, address) educational background, work-related experiences (must be list down accordingly) and skills set.
Speak about yourself without sounding overly confident and proud. Rather, be polite and calm as you layout your cards on the table. Other recruiters also love questions from applicants which indicate their knowledge and concerns regarding the job. Hence, ask your concerns in the best way possible and avoid unnecessary or rude queries.
Do not leave without connection
While many will be hired during the job fair, most recruiters tend to evaluate more thus holding a candidate or two for another set of interviews or exams. Prior to leaving, be sure to get in touch with the recruiter by acquiring their contact details (email, mobile or phone number) as well as leaving them with yours (active and updated contacts). This will keep the connection between you and the company intact hence opening more doors for further discussion.
Also make sure to leave without a single question on your mind regarding the job. Learning things such as salary rates, benefits and other compensations, skills required, current and future job openings, trainings, requirements and other necessary information will serve your reference.
The work surely doesn't stop there as earlier mentioned, most will seek more time to get to know you more and examine your skills better. But before getting to that point, you must first make your mark on the job fair itself. By following these steps and carrying out your confidence and determination, you will certainly shine out among any crowd.
