There is more competition in the job market than there was
a few years ago, so it pays to get out there. Attending a
job fair beats sitting at home waiting for the phone to
ring. If nothing else, it's a place to schmooze and find
out what's happening. Your approach to the fair may make a
huge difference in whether you achieve satisfactory results.
Joe received his layoff notice on a Friday. After a week at
home, he knew he had to get out and make some contacts. He
found and landed his last job at a job fair, and soon
discovered on the Internet there was a tech fair in his
area the following week.
Armed with several copies of his resume, Joe set out with
an air of confidence. His confidence got a blow when he
arrived at the site and saw the long line of people waiting
to get in. This was going to be a very different experience
than his last job search. As he walked down the line, he
met friends and former coworkers. He tried to find out what
was going on inside and how to deal with it. Some of his
friends were veterans of the system and were glad to share
some survival tips with him. Here are 10 of those tips:
1. Once inside, get a list of participating companies and
choose which companies interest you. Spend your energies on
them rather than wandering from booth to booth.
2. Check out job openings for each company of interest,
typically found on a listing sheet. Or use a computer, if
provided, to look up individual companies.
3. Get a floor plan map -- usually at the entrance or
information table. Plan a route to move around the floor
quickly, visiting your companies of interest.
4. Stay upbeat and energized. Try to make an impression
through your enthusiasm about the work. Also try to engage
the company representative in conversation about the
company, and listen to what the rep has to say.
5. Try to talk to the hiring manager or senior member of
the team, if possible. Recruiters can be helpful regarding
the company and what they are seeking, and human resources
personnel can give you information on the hiring process
and the company, but the hiring manager is the one with the
clout.
6. Let the person you talk to know what you have to bring
to the company. Be prepared with a short statement about
yourself and your background -- less than two minutes. Try
to hook the interviewer's interest with something unique
about you.
7. Try to get a name or business card from anyone you talk
to so you can use the name as a reference when you follow
up.
8. Follow up by sending a letter and another copy of your
resume to human resources and the hiring manager. Mention
that you talked with them, or a company representative, at
the fair. Tell them how excited you are about the position.
Let them know you are the solution to their problem -- you
can make a difference and add value.
9. Follow up in a week or so with a phone call, inquiring
about the position and the hiring status.
10. Use the job fair as one of many sources in planning
your job search. Do further research on participating
companies by visiting their Web sites and checking for
additional openings and opportunities.
Try not to be overwhelmed by the size of the job fair or
the number of job seekers in attendance. Keep focused on
the companies you want to interview with. Don't be
discouraged if you don't go home with a job offer or formal
interview lined up. This should be just one step in your
research and networking process.
Consider any new contacts you meet or information gathered
at the job fair as a positive addition to your resources.
Be persistent in your endeavors -- job opportunities
sometimes come from the least expected sources at the most
unexpected times.
----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin, America's #1 Interview Coach is a
contributing writer for Monster.com Carole will coach you
at her Live Speed Interview Coaching Event.
http://www.interviewfitnesstraining.com/speed.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment