Tue, 12 Apr 2016 14:37:57 -0400

What to do at the Career Fair

The Career Center sponsors several annual career fairs. Our next fair will be held on:

Wednesday, April 13 from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

Your student will have a chance to meet with top employers to discuss internships, career and employment opportunities and explore their career options. There will be opportunities for all majors and for students of all levels-from first-year students to graduate students.

Our employers love UMBC students and they return to UMBC again and again in search of top candidates!

But, some students can find the career fair to be very hectic and intimidating! Many students and employers are there; the room can be noisy and sometimes students may even have to wait in lines before they can speak with the employer of their choice. So, it is very important that your student is prepared for this important event and that they go in with a positive attitude.

But if your student follows these basic job search guidelines, s/he will have the career fair in the palm of his/her hand!

Do research beforehand. Know who is participating and create a list of organizations that are of interest. Then research the organization and know their products/services and employment needs. Prioritize the list and bring it to the fair. With a list in hand, the student will know exactly where to start.

Dress to impress. Students should show employers that they are serious by dressing professionally. This means a well-fitted, clean, and coordinated suit. Any patterns should be simple, they should not wear perfume or cologne, and tuck hair away from the face. Shoes should be close-toed, polished and neat, and if they wear heels they should be no taller than three inches.

Bring the right things. Students should bring a large supply of resumes, a list of references, an attractive pen and a note pad. If they take a list of references, they should make sure to contact the people on their list before hand to warn them that they may be contacted by company XYZ.

Use a great 30-second commercial. The commercial should identify who s/he, highlight a few accomplishments and strengths, show how s/he can add value to the company, and be concise. Students should use this to start a conversation with employers. Encourage them to practice with friends the night before!

Network with fellow students. Your student should talk to fellow job-seekers at the event about different employers and possible jobs.

Ask the employers good and thoughtful. S/he should have one or two questions in mind for each employer. Questions should reflect the research they have done and their own interests. Before leaving the recruitment table s/he should ask, “What will happen next?” to learn about the next steps needed to get the job. They should also prepare some general questions for employers they may not have expected to talk to, for example, “What is the work environment like at XYZ Company?”

Follow-up. It is also important that they follow-up with anyone they talked to at the job fair through email within 24 hours. The student should ask for business cards. This will help your student to remember names and key companies that match his/her skills and interests, as well as provide him/her with the means to follow-up. If an employer gave him/her special instructions such as posting a resume to a web site, it is very important that s/he do so.

So, please pass this information along to your student. If s/he follows these steps, they will navigate the career fair like a pro:

For additional tips check out the UMBC Career Guide.