Getting Noticed at Job Faires
Standing out at a Job Fair can make a difference in your job search. Job Faires are starting to pick up, and a major job search company is running some nice ones, called Targeted Job Fairs. At a Silicon Valley Career Faire in early 2010, 10 companies as showing up, and Dice has 82 career fairs scheduled for 2010 across the States.
How do you rise above the crowd at a Job Faire? The contention can be substantial, but you can help yourself surpass from the bunch with early preparation. At AA-Careers, we have a simple six-step process to prepare. Planning to go? Here’s how to prepare:
First, investigate the companies that are going and pick your objectives. Use the internet to check out the companies that are there before you go. Go to their websites and see if they have their openings posted. Pick a limited number to go after, and get ready to spend up to an hour researching each one. It’s hard to do more than 8 in a day, and five or six is a much more reasonable target. For each hiring organization, you want to know: executive names, recent news, and key product lines. Try to see if you know anyone at the target companies. You should end up with a page or two of research for each company/job.
Second, if there are job postings on the web, read them to see what the company is looking for. Create a mapping of your achievements and skills to the prerequisites of the job. Make the nomenclature match. If the hiring company calls customers "clients", your resume should do the same thing. The accomplishments should be written in the style of the hiring organization.
Third, create a ‘thumbnail sales pitch’ for each potential organization/job combination. Write down a ninety second ‘thumbnail’ that you can repeat verbally showing why you are a great prospect for that position. You’ll use this in your resume and when you meet people at the job kiosk.
Fourth, modify your resume for each position. The objective on your resume should exactly match the job you’re targeting. The executive summary should be a written form of your “mini sales pitch” for the job. Then choose the achievements and skills that most clearly match the job description. Especially at a Career Faire, the purpose of your resume is a sales tool for you – to get you on-site job interviews. It should be a no-brainer to see that you’re a match based on your resume.
Fifth, dress and prepare as if you’re doing on-site interviews. Dress well and be properly groomed. Don’t over do-it (this isn’t a date!) and don’t underdress (no jeans or t-shirts, no matter how much you paid for them). Avoid strong cologne or perfume.
Finally, practice your ‘mini-sales-pitch’. Collect your research and the resume for each spot - bring a couple of copies for each – and put each in a intelligibly labeled folder. Keep them in a light briefcase or folio.
Remember to smile, and good hunting!
