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Funtime at the Career Fair

Alright, so there’s no cotton-candy or Ferris wheel at this fair, but if you’re hunting for a place to work a career fair can provide some fun rides into a cushy job. But barging into a career-amusement park can leave you looking that “I ate six hotdogs and rode the coaster” shade of green. YB’s picked up some ways you can hit the fairgrounds running.

Finding the Right Fair

Wanting to ride the find-a-job coaster or tour the corporate funhouses? There are two types of “fairs” for career hunting. If you’re looking to get hired, go find a job fair. Job fairs are usually hosted by companies, or by the city. Sometimes you can attend a “virtual job fair” on the Internet, and visit Website “booths.” Browsing for information on a career rather than wanting to get hired usually means it’s time to head to the career fair camp. Showers of pamphlets and doo-dads telling you about career fields are available at career fairs, and you can learn a lot. Colleges often host both job fairs and career fairs, so you might keep an eye out on campus.

Some fairs are industry-specific, like a fair just for techies. Be more prepared for these fairs than a general fair. They’re great for checking out what all your competing employers have to offer, but if you aren’t ready you’ll look like part of the side show. “They’re going to see you going around between competitors,” says Anna Falkenberg, interim director of the Liberal Arts Career Center at University of Texas in Austin, “you will need to be pretty savvy in your presentation.”

You Must Be This Tall…

When’s a good time to go to a fair? Anna believes as soon as possible is good. “We encourage students to use those opportunities anytime they are available to gather information,” says Anna, “their presentation skills need to be practiced, as well as talking to employers.” Going through the fairs as practice can give you the skills and info you need to trash those fears of the career-coaster ride.

Career Carnival Basics

Knowing some simple stuff should keep you from embarrassing yourself at the career fair, these are some things you should keep in mind:

• Dress up ­ Strolling into a career fest wearing some PJ’s coated in spilled bits of Cap ’N Crunch, no matter how yummy it was, isn’t how you want to present yourself to possible employers. Look clean and sharp. It may be uncomfortable, but that suit says “hire me” rather than “I can’t keep cereal in a spoon.”
• Pile on the resumes ­ Bring a big heaping gob of copies of your resume. When the company recruiters ask for it, you want to be able to give them as many as they want. If you don’t hand them all out, you can always keep them for the future.
• Act professional, man ­ Giving a firm handshake instead of a high-five is good policy at the career fair. You’ll also sound cooler to company reps if you speak the industry lingo rather than some slang.
• Be ready to pitch ­ Anna suggests a 30-second “sales pitch” about yourself when you talk with company reps, so you can make a quick impression on a busy rep.
• Read-up ­ Gather any information you can before you talk to the rep, even if you’re reading the signs at their booth while in line.

Whether seriously searching for a gig or just checking the career scene, the fair is the place to be. If you’re prepared and follow the rules, you’ll be a star attraction to some big business.