BBB Consumer Tips: Be a Job Fair Stand-Out
By: Meaghan Collier
Updated: June 21, 2012
With jobs still tough to come by, job seekers need to work hard to stand out to potential employers when they get the chance. Janna Kiehl, of the Better Business Bureau, joins us now with some ways to stand out at a job fair.
Research companies before you go. You should be able to find a list of attending companies at the hosts Web site. Research the companies you want to target beforehand. This will help you focus on specific opportunities and help develop intelligent, tailored pitches.
Take plenty of resumes. Know the businesses attending and what positions they are recruiting for. Prepare customized resumes and bring plenty of copies of your standard resume as well. Take a briefcase or portfolio to organize and hold business cards and other materials.
Perfect an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is your description of who you are, what your skill set is, and how you can benefit the business. The pitch should be brief, conversational and natural, but should be well-rehearsed. You only have a few minutes to make an impression so be memorable and sincere.
Dress and act the part. Look the part by wearing professional clothes, such as a suit and removing any unusual piercings and always cover tattoos. A job hunter also needs to act like a professional, including not swearing or making inappropriate jokes or speaking ill of a former employer.
Be confident. While a day at a job fair can be exhausting, it's important to always act confident and enthusiastic. Work hard to stay positive and take breaks to get organized and recharge your batteries.
Don't become a victim. While instances of scammers setting up shop at a job fair are rare, never pay an upfront fee to any potential employer at a job fair, do not give personal information such as bank account or Social Security numbers until you have researched the company fully outside of the fair.
Research companies before you go. You should be able to find a list of attending companies at the hosts Web site. Research the companies you want to target beforehand. This will help you focus on specific opportunities and help develop intelligent, tailored pitches.
Take plenty of resumes. Know the businesses attending and what positions they are recruiting for. Prepare customized resumes and bring plenty of copies of your standard resume as well. Take a briefcase or portfolio to organize and hold business cards and other materials.
Perfect an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is your description of who you are, what your skill set is, and how you can benefit the business. The pitch should be brief, conversational and natural, but should be well-rehearsed. You only have a few minutes to make an impression so be memorable and sincere.
Dress and act the part. Look the part by wearing professional clothes, such as a suit and removing any unusual piercings and always cover tattoos. A job hunter also needs to act like a professional, including not swearing or making inappropriate jokes or speaking ill of a former employer.
Be confident. While a day at a job fair can be exhausting, it's important to always act confident and enthusiastic. Work hard to stay positive and take breaks to get organized and recharge your batteries.
Don't become a victim. While instances of scammers setting up shop at a job fair are rare, never pay an upfront fee to any potential employer at a job fair, do not give personal information such as bank account or Social Security numbers until you have researched the company fully outside of the fair.
