Whether you are a Junior or Sophomore searching for a summer internship or a Senior looking to secure your future in a job or graduate school, chances are you will be ending up at this week’s Career & Graduate School Fair hosted by the Amica Center for Career Education. It’s an exciting and stressful time for all, but nonetheless a priceless opportunity for every student. Are you feeling a little nervous? No need! Her Campus caught up with the Amica Center’s Assistant Director, Amy Weinstein who knows the ins and the outs of career fairs and networking. Thanks to her advice, every reader should be able to be as prepared and confident as possible when meeting a potential employer!
Resume
The best way to ease any day-of Career Fair stress is to make sure you have planned ahead. Make sure your resume is up-to-date and has been reviewed by the helpful folks down at the Amica Center. Resumes are one of their many areas of expertise! Bring a few copies along with you to give to interested recruiters.
What to Wear
We’ve all heard that saying “dress for the job you want, not the job you have,” right? Well it could not be more fitting in this situation! Despite feeling like a frazzled college student, you should be dressed like a future CEO. Not sure exactly how to go about looking business formal fabulous? Check out HC Bryant’s resident fashion expert, Abi Adjei’s, guide to looking classy and professional.
LinkedIn
Are you on LinkedIn yet? If not, what are you waiting for? LinkedIn is an amazing resource for professionals to connect and network. It’s free to make a profile and potential employers will be impressed that you’re already on the site ready to network with them.
Making Connections
See a company that you are interested in? Be confident and approach them with a 2-second introduction. Let them know who you are and why you may be a good candidate for their company. Have questions ready to engage the representative and also be prepared to answer questions they may ask you. Also, be prepared to make yourself stand out in a group without being too overbearing. Crowds at the fair can get big so make sure to know your strengths that will keep the representative focused on you and not the other students surrounding you.
Be Early!
Nothing makes a bad impression like being late; especially to people that you could potentially be working for! Make sure to get to the fair early, so you can get started networking the second the doors open at 5PM.
Now that you have all the keys to getting ready to rock this Career & Graduate School Fair, the rest is up to you! Go out, make a great impression, and land that job or internship of your dreams! And don’t forget, practice makes perfect! This may be your first career fair, but certainly not the last. Bryant offers several opportunities for networking each year so don’t be too worried if you are not an expert yet. Also, make sure to get to know the awesome staff in the Amica Center for Career Education. They are here to help you be successful beyond Bryant, so make sure you utilize all they have to offer from resume workshops to mock interviews. To learn more about the Amica Center, visit their website. Also find them on Facebook and on Twitter.