The 2017 Winter Career Expo is underway. We’ve found 6 resources that will help you make the most out of the experience thanks to our friends at…
The LSA Opportunity Hub
1. Research companies in advance.
The University Career Center has all the information you need to know about who is going to be at the expo right in the Handshake app. Download it, customize your profile and make a plan to visit the companies that are of most interest to you.
2. Dress professionally (and bring a nice folder for your resumé).
We know you’re awesome and that, as such, we wouldn’t want a poor first impression to get in the way of getting across how foolish they would be to not get to know you. Check out “Dressing for Job Fairs” from Monster.com.
3. Practice making a quick connection.
Your elevator pitch needs to be on point. Practice a 30-second rundown of what you’re all about and how you’d be the perfect candidate. Pro tip: Find out something about your interviewer and connect your pitch to something about them. Connection. Connection. Connection. How it’s done: Forbes’ “The Perfect Elevator Pitch To Land A Job.”
4. Follow up with and thank the recruiters.
Yes. It makes sense. And you know you should do it. So what’s the #1 obstacle? … forgetting to get the email address of the person your talking to. It’s an art form akin to getting the digits of the person across the crowded bar. You can do it, and “How to Write a Follow-Up Letter When Job Searching” will give you a template to make the rest of the follow-up easy.
“But what about us?” – First-Years and Sophomores
If you’re a First-Year or Sophomore student, don’t think the Career Expo is not for you. It is! Not all companies are solely looking for graduating Seniors – some are looking just for you. Many companies will list on their Handshake profile which grade level they are looking to connect with. And if the company you love isn’t ready for you yet, use the Career Expo as a practice run that you can draw on in the future. USA Today College has great tips for students in this situation.
Still feeling the Career Expo Day nerves? Don’t worry. You are a part of what makes this university the prestigious, game-changing, and thought-provoking institution it is. Companies are looking for someone with exactly your qualities and capabilities – You’ve got this!