It’s a new semester at the University of South Florida which means there will be a new stream of job fairs making their way through the campus. If you are a soon to be graduate, or a student that just wants to see what the job fairs are all about, you should first consider devoting some prepping time that will allow you to appear exactly as you desire at the job fair. Job fairs are an ideal place to make connections with future employers, so you definitely want to leave a lasting impression. Now, let’s get started on that prepping list.
1. Visit the Career Center
You can visit the career center either online or on campus. The career center will have all of the information regarding the job fairs’ locations, times, and even a list of the employers that will be at the job fair ready to hire. Be sure to know which employers will be at the job fair and do your research on the companies that you are interested in working for.
Current list of job fairs:
Accounting Career Fair- January 25th
Spring 2013 Career Networking Fair- January 30th
Internship and Part-Time Job Fair- April 10th
2. Tailor Your Resume
Another reason you should research the companies that will be at the job fair is to tailor your resume to what each employer is looking for. A one-size-fits-all resume will not do you any justice. Employers are now looking for specific skills, not a list of ambiguities. If you are having a hard time developing a professional-looking resume, visit the career center once again. There you will find on-line seminars concerning resume writing, skills identification, interview tips and even career fair tips. If you need someone else to help you build your resume, there is an Extreme Resume Makeover workshop taking place on January 28th, or attend a Mini Resume Makeover workshop that is held every Wednesday. After you’ve perfected your resumes for the employers that you will be meeting with, buy a nice looking folder or binder to keep them in, preferably one that will also hold a notepad and pen inside.
3. Dress to Impress
Many job fairs have a business professional dress code expectancy. If you do not know what business professional attire consists of, then you more than likely don’t have anything to wear to the job fairs. Time to do some shopping!
Business Professional Attire Basics
Color- Your outfit needs to be based on a neutral color palette: black, navy, grey, charcoal, or cream. Avoid any bright colors or crazy patterns.
Suits, skirts, and blouses- Make sure pants are pressed with a crease, wrinkle free, and not too tight, but they should be tailored to fit close to your body. Skirts should be at least knee length or below. Blouses also need to be wrinkle free, cover cleavage and always tucked in. When you are ready to get out there to find that perfect suit, check out J.Crew, Express, Macy’s and H&M just to get started.
Shoes- Only wear shoes that are closed-toed in a color that compliments your outfit. Use the neutral palette again to pick out the right color. Avoid heels that are over three inches high.
Hair, makeup, and accessories- Arrive to the job fair well groomed and simple. Use the neutral color palette for eye shadows. If you haven’t noticed yet, this color palette is your new best friend in the business world when it comes to your appearance. Keep your accessories low key by wearing stud or pearl earrings and a petite wrist watch.
4. Perfect your hand shake
A person’s hand shake says a lot about them and you want to make sure that yours leaves a positive impression. They are the only consistent physical contact we have in the business world, and can set the tone for the entire relationship. Make sure your handshake is firm, and hands are web to web. Whatever you do, don’t have a limp handshake; also known as the “dead fish,” this communicates passivity and intimidation.
5. Practice smiling and answering questions
Finally, the last thing you should practice is answering questions while smiling. Employers want to hire those with a positive attitude, and if you can’t stop smiling usually they can’t either. To avoid walking into a job fair blindly and not knowing what to expect, pick up a few reads that will help prepare you. There are many books or web-sources that will help you feel more comfortable talking about what you have to offer them, and answering questions that will avoiding the “ummm” answer. Try reading Job Interviews for Dummies, More Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions, Job Fair Tips and Tricks, and researching on your own. You might want to even keep a folder on your computer or on your shelf for when you come across something interesting that you want to save.
Good luck at the job fairs!