The 12th Annual Career Exploration and Job Fair will be held on May 4 from 12 to 4 p.m. in the Ponitz Center and on May 18 at 12 to 4 p.m. at the Courseview Learning Center. The goal of the fair is to prepare students who are looking for jobs in this economy or students who are looking to transfer to a four-year university, according to Lindsay Tate, career specialist.
“So the event is not just for people that are looking for jobs but also for people who are exploring different careers. It is also a really great opportunity for students and the community to come and network with companies and universities,” she said.
At the event, a variety of companies and universities will be there and students should come prepared with a resume, summary of qualifications and introduce themselves with their educational background and work experience, according to Tate.
Booths and tables will be set up with the companies’ names and universities. Tate said that some employers will tell students, “we aren’t accepting applications.” To that, Tate said that students shouldn’t get frustrated and instead should ask the employer if they can look over their resume and see if anything needs to be changed. Also, ask the employer if there are any formatting errors that should be fixed so that a student can stand out above the crowd and potentially get a job.
“The job fair is just a fantastic opportunity for students. Especially, in this down economy to really network and build personal relations and see if those companies are right for you,” she said. “And, perhaps even be one step ahead of everybody else that doesn’t have that personal contact because you never know where a name can take you.”
Tips to landing a job and feeling confident from Lindsay Tate
1: Dress Nicely. “We recommend at least business casual [attire] because when you walk up to a potential employer that is going to be their first impression. How you dress is how a company will assume you will represent them in the future.”
2: Bring an updated resume. “Career Services will and can look over it beforehand and offer potential and valuable critiques.”
3: Prepare summary of qualifications speech. “An elevator speech so that you know what to say to the employer.” An elevator speech is a quick summary of your skills.
4: Do your research. “Once a potential employer sees that you know about their company you can sound intelligent. Research the company to see what positions may be available.”
5: Don’t ask for a job. “Inquiring about a job is okay [so you can see] if the company is a good fit for you.”
6: Follow up. “Tell the employer, ‘it was nice meeting them.’ Get a business card. If you applied online, let them know that you did.”
7: Talk to all employers. “You never know who is going to have what opportunity for you. We don’t want people to miss out on any opportunities because they didn’t go the right table.”
8: Smile. “Bring a bright smiling face and a positive attitude.”