Office of Career Management

1
Preparing for the Career Fair
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What is the Career Fair?

• The Career Fair is
• A NETWORKING event
• The Career Fair is NOT
• An event where students receive job offers
• Purpose
• To meet employers that you want to work for
• To introduce yourself and make a good first
  impression
• To make contacts that you can follow up with
  during your job search

3
The 3 parts of the Career Fair

• A successful Career Fair has 3 parts
• Before the Career Fair Preparation
• During the Career Fair Execution
• After the Career Fair Follow Through

4
Before the Fair

• Preparation

5
Things to do

• Utilize FisherConnect
• Update your profile
• Upload your current resume
• Visit Career Events
• Drop Resum to companies of interest
• Get your supplies
• Portfolio
• 30 Resumes
• Career Fair Student Guide
• Clean Ironed Clothes

6
Clarify Your Goals

• Why are you going to the Career Fair?
• Job or internship search
• Looking to network with recruiters
• What are you hoping to accomplish?
• Get a feel for what companies and industries you
  want to pursue
• Plan with the next steps in mind

7
Select Your Companies

• Set Criteria
• What industries am I interested in?
• What geography can I work in?
• What values am I looking for in a company?
• What companies am I excited about?
• Remember to not be too specific (Software
  companies in Kalamazoo) or too general (a big
  company in the US)

8
Selecting Your Companies (continued)

• Select companies and prioritize
• Have to meet
• Would love to meet
• Want to meet
• Should meet

• Do your homework
• Read up on your companys news
• Review history
• Review companys values and mission
• Look at info relevant to your major

Once you have chosen and researched companies of
interest, prepare to introduce yourself with your
PERSONAL COMMERCIAL!
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Your Personal Commercial is

• a professional, enthusiastic, and comprehensive
  introduction of yourself
• Initiate contact, firm handshake, smile
• Name, major, year
• State why you are interested in the company
• State your intent and ask a question

10
Now You have a Plan

• That includes
• What you are there to accomplish
• A priority list of your companies (with notes)
• An outline of your commercial
• BRING IT WITH YOU Refer to the plan during the
  Career Fair to keep you on track

11
During the Fair

• Execution

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Dress Professionally

• A Career Fair is a Business Professional event
• Wear a clean and ironed suit
• Look presentable (nice haircut/freshly shaven)
• When in doubt go conservative
• Finance and Accounting majors may want to wear
  white shirts
• Use a portfolio not a backpack
• Take advantage of the coat check if available

13
Strategize and Break the Ice

• Get a map of the room and learn where your
  companies are located
• Take plan and map and create an order of attack
  (be conscious of time and long lines)
• Consider first approaching a low priority company
  to practice your commercial

14
Speaking with Employers

• How to approach and end conversations
• Initiate conversation (use your personal
  commercial) and have a firm handshake
• Show enthusiasm by smiling and speaking clearly
• Be as clear and direct as possible
• End conversation with a thank you
• Ask for a business card

15
Speaking with Employers (continued)

• What you need to accomplish
• Make a great first impression
• Inquire about possible roles that fit your needs
• Steps you need to take to apply
• With whom you need to speak
• Ask if they are taking resumes or interviewing on
  campus
• Discuss their hiring process
• Ask for a business card for later follow up

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General Notes

• Pick up company info as well as giveaways
• When accepting business cards do not put them
  away until you have walked away
• Stay positive and enthusiastic
• Have fun with it. Make sure you are relaxed and
  confident

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After the Fair

• Follow Through

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Immediate Follow Up

• Pull together all the notes from the back of
  business cards create a spread sheet
• Send thank you emails to all employers you spoke
  to
• Follow through on submitting requested information

19
In the Next Few Weeks

• Review your goals and company selection criteria
• Create a method for managing and recording your
  follow up

20
Long-term Follow Through

• Research when your companies will be back on
  campus
• Keep up on your companys latest news
• Maintain contact emails, letters, phone calls
• Set up informational interviews with your
  companies
• Always keep their hiring process in mind
• Think like the recruiter

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Additional Information

• Additional questions? Please contact our office.
• Fisher Office of Career Management
• 150 Gerlach Hall
• [phone] or fisher.osu.edu/career