Career Fair Preparation

1
Career Fair Preparation
2
Preparation

• Professional Dress
• Prioritization of Employers
• Approaching an employer
• Firm Handshake
• Focused and General Introduction Approach
• Conversation Preparation
• Practical Advice
• Interview Preparation

3
Professional Dress

• Dressing well shows respect for the interview
  process. Casual dress would communicate that you
  dont take teaching or yourself seriously, and do
  not respect the organizations representatives
  and interviewers.
• Professionally dressed means

No matter what you wear, make sure that it fits
properly! If you have questions about dress, ask
a staff member at Hiatt.
4

• Women
• Suit (skirt or pant)
• Dress blouse or sweater
• Pumps
• Nylons
• NO No large jewelry or piercing (except for
  small earrings), perfume, jeans, sweats,
  tank-tops, sneakers, flip-flops, sandals,
  outwardly visible underwear or tattoos, or
  showing midriffs/stomachs or cleavage

• Men
• Suit
• Button-down dress shirt (white or blue)
• Dress Shoes (dark socks)
• NO No large jewelry or piercing, cologne, jeans,
  sweats, sneakers, flip-flops, sandals, outwardly
  visible underwear or tattoos, or showing
  midriffs/stomachs

Looking professional also means being well
groomed. Be sure to shower, wash your hair and
have a neat appearance.
5
Review Employers Jobs

• Visit the CIC website to review the organizations
  attending the fair and the positions they have
  available.
• If an employer sounds interesting be sure to
  visit their website to learn more about it.

6
Prioritization

• As you review the list of organizations and
  identify which organizations you would like to
  speak with, rank them
• A Your top choice, dream employers
• B Very interesting employers
• C Employers that might be worth a visit
• D-F Not worth your time

7
Approaching an Employer

• Firm Handshake This may seem like a relatively
  small detail, but know that job offers are lost
  by a poor handshake. Employers first impressions
  are often based on your appearance and your
  handshake. A weak handshake communicates that
  you are disinterested, unconfident and
  inexperienced. Practice with your friends.

As you approach an employer, be sure to smile and
make eye contact.
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Introduction Approach

• As you approach employers you will need to
  introduce yourself. You want to come across as
  organized and articulate. So, plan what you will
  say in advance.
• For your A and B employers, think about the
  skills/characteristics that you have that best
  qualify you for the position you want, and the
  characteristics of the organization or position
  that most interest you. Integrate this
  information into a brief introduction.

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Practical Advice

• Prepare at least one question per employer and
  visit two B employers to practice your
  introduction skills before you visit your A
  employers.
• Take breaks! After visiting 2-3 employers, rest
  a few minutes, take notes and prepare for your
  next set of conversations.
• When concluding a conversation with an employer,
  ask for her/his business card so that you may
  send a thank you note. Feel free to offer
  him/her your business card.

10
Practical Advice

• Do not prioritize collecting free trinkets over
  getting a job Ignore the free pens. You dont
  want to appear unprofessional as you approach a
  table.
• Carry as little as possible Try to bring only a
  small portfolio or folder, with your resumes and
  a pad of paper. You dont want to be distracted,
  juggling a portfolio, briefcase and backpack at
  the event.
• Do not travel in a pack Your goal is to draw
  attention to yourself as an individual.

11
Interview Preparation

• Know Yourself What You Have to Offer Type
  Focus
• Skills/Knowledge Areas/Personal Attributes
• Research Employer Web Sites, Career Search,
  Vault, ONET, Newspapers, Going Global,
  Informational Interviews
• Read Hiatts Interview Page Career Toolbox
• Write out answers to frequently asked interview
  questions Schedule a Mock Interview with a Hiatt
  Career Counselor

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Interview Preparation

• Think about experiences that demonstrate your
  skills, and prepare to share them in a concise
  way. One way to do that is to use the following
  outline
• Situation- Where were you working? What was the
  assignment?
• Task- What was your responsibility? What was your
  job or role?
• Action- What did you do?
• Result- What was the outcome?

Think of your top 5 skills and think of 3
examples each that demonstrate/ prove that you
have that skill.
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Interview

• Confirm the day before
• Arrive 15 minutes early
• Dress professionally Be well groomed
• Treat all employer representatives with kindness
  and respect
• This includes receptionists if you get a 2nd
  round interview
• Get plenty of sleep the night before
• Bring Portfolio w/ Extra Resumes/Cover
  Letters/Reference Sheets

14
Post Interview

• Follow-up the interview with a thank you
  letter/e-mail see thank you letter guide in
  Optimal Career Toolbox/Cover Letters
• The thank you is an opportunity to restate your
  interest and qualifications, to reemphasize your
  potential value to the organization, and add
  forgotten points.
• Do not forget to reiterate that you are still
  interested in the position and the organization.
  Strive to send the letter/e-mail within 24 hours
  of your interview.
• Remain in contact with the organization as long
  as the interviewer says the position is open.

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Hiatt Contact Informationhttp//www.brandeis.edu/
hiatt

• Hiatt Career Center
• Brandeis University
• USDAN 15-MS204
• 415 South Street
• Waltham, MA 02454
• hiattcenter_at_brandeis.edu
• Telephone [phone]
• Fax [phone]