Career Fair Success

Reasons to Attend	At the Career Fair
How to Prepare	After the Career Fair
What to Wear

This quick tutorial will help you maximize your experiences at events such as Fall and Spring Career and Internship Day, Career and Internship Connections (CICs) in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC, and other career fairs.

For a list of Career Fairs open to Rochester students, please visit http://www.rochester.edu/careercenter/students/calendar/career_fairs.html

While this exercise is designed to prepare you for successfully navigating a career fair, the best way to get ready is by meeting with a Career Center counselor prior to the fair. To make an appointment, please call our office at 275-2366, or visit us at 302 Meliora Hall!

Reasons to attend a Career Fair

By attending a career fair, students of all class years and majors can:

• Explore a variety of industries and career paths in a single location
• Make positive impressions “in-person” that can help you and your resume stand out in a crowd
• Learn about job and internship opportunities, identify appropriate application steps, and submit your resume for consideration
• Interview for job and internship openings (specifically at Fall and Spring Career and Internship Day and CICs)
• Develop a list of contacts to aid in your job or internship search

How to Prepare for a Career Fair

Preparation before the career fair will help make the event less scary and overwhelming. Here is how you can prepare:

• Review the list of employers that will be attending
• Conduct research on the firms attending by reviewing their websites to learn more about who they are, what they do, and employment and internship opportunities.
• Create a list of attendees that you are most interested in speaking with – this will make your efforts more efficient and ensure that you do not miss key opportunities.
• While you do not need a resume to attend, we advise that if you are looking for employment or internship positions, you bring plenty of copies of your resume. If you are looking for more than one type of position, you should also bring different versions of your resume that target each field.
• Prepare a short introduction to use when greeting employers. You should not deliver a robotic script; you do need to show that you have put some thought into why you are approaching them. An example could be: “Hello. I am a UR Student, a junior majoring in Financial Economics. I am looking for a summer internship in finance here in Rochester. I read on your website that you offer an Equity Research Assistant position, and I would like to learn more about this position…”
  Also make note of specific skills you have that relate to the position/industry you are seeking an internship/job.
• Your research of employers will naturally lead to questions – write them down and bring them to the career fair! You do not need to necessarily ask each question (as your conversation with employers may naturally create questions), but this will help you avoid standing in front of a recruiter with nothing to say. Possible questions to consider include:
  • How do students get started in this field?
  • What majors would best prepare me for a job in this industry?
  • How do I apply for a job/internship position?
  • What kinds of additional training would set me ahead in this field?

Asking questions is a good thing…and is expected!

What should I wear?

Wearing appropriate, professional attire can increase your confidence and help you stand out in a crowd! Remember, “dressing up” does not include what you would wear out on a Friday night.

• If your goal is to obtain an interview, suits are recommended for men and women. Visit http://www.rochester.edu/careercenter/students/jobs/DressForSuccess.htm
• If you are attending a career fair to learn about career options, business casual attire is recommended.
• As you will have prepared questions and resumes to distribute, and will be taking notes, you should carry a portfolio or a briefcase.

At the Career Fair

Now that you have done your research and are fully prepared, approach recruiters with confidence and make the most of the opportunity!

• First, make sure you pick up a program and review it for employer descriptions, lists of positions being recruited for, last minute updates, etc.
• Allow as much time as possible for working the career fair. Visit with employers on your “priority list” first.
• Be flexible! If a company on your list has a long line, go to another one and come back later.
• Greet employers with a smile, a firm handshake, and appropriate eye contact. Be professional and courteous to fellow students (do not interrupt conversations/do not monopolize a recruiter’s time). Keep your conversations personable and, most importantly, be yourself!
• Remember to use your short introduction and list of prepared questions. Feel free to take notes!
• If you have a resume, offer employers a copy. Please note, some employers cannot accept hard copy resumes and will ask you to apply online.During the conversations that follow the introduction, be able to reference key skills/experiences that you have had that are directly related to the position/industry. Here is an example of how this can be done:
  “What skills and characteristics are you looking for in an Equity Research Assistant?”
  Once the employer answers the question, follow up by using that information to sell yourself.
  “As you can see from my experience, I have…”
• Before you leave to visit with the next employer on your list, be sure you know what you next step will be (i.e. keep your goal in mind). How can you be considered for a position? Can you schedule an interview?
• IMPORTANT – Always ask for a business card so you can follow up appropriately!!
• Be sure to keep an open mind. If you have time, approach employers that are not on your target list to discover their potential. These interactions can lead to great networking contacts.

After the Career Fair

Following up on your career fair conversations is key to your success:

• Refer to the business cards you collected/career fair directory for contact information
• Contact can be made through mail, email, or a phone call. If you were given specific instructions by the recruiter, follow those instructions. While email is often considered a more casual form of communication, you must treat this as a formal letter (send the email from an appropriate email address, address the recruiter as Mr. or Ms., proof for grammar and spelling, etc. DO NOT USE A “TEXTING” FORMAT IN AN EMAIL TO AN EMPLOYER!!).
• Your message to the recruiter should include a thank you for taking the time to speak with you (reference the date and name of the career fair), an expressed interest in pursuing a position there, an inquiry about the resume review and candidate selection process, and an interest in meeting with them to further discuss your qualifications.