Remember, offers are seldom made at the job fair. A job fair is a place where the whole process begins or where you gain more information about companies.

     Write down exactly what you want out of attending each job fair. When you exit the job fair, compare your goal with what you actually accomplished. If you didn’t accomplish at least 90% of your target objectives, then review your mistakes and don’t repeat them at the next job fair. Set a high level of activity and be specific in listing your goals. It will help you FOCUS.

     If you were a My Job Doctor client, at a minimum you would have the following job fair goals:

• To meet four new target companies with openings in my field.
• To find out salary ranges for people with my skill sets.
• To practice face-to-face interviewing skills with 6 new companies.
  
  No matter what you’re looking for, you can increase your chances for success by:
  • Preparing well for the companies you want to meet.
  • Having a system for working the floor - both inside and outside the main event site.
  • To follow up with everyone you meet.

     After you have set your goals, identify and research the companies with whom you want to connect. Analyze the list of attending companies, select your choices in advance and start researching. Don’t walk around from booth to booth.

     Visit Websites. Read news releases. Try and get a copy of each company’s job listings. Set up a grid to match your skills with companies that interest you. Be able to articulate why you are interested in a particular company. You WILL be asked this question.

     Call the people whose names you found in your research and suggest meeting them at the job fair. If they aren’t going to be there, ask for the name of the person(s) who will be representing their division. Having a contact’s name helps focus your thinking.

     Practice your 30-45 second career summary. This is the famous question, “Tell me about yourself.” Sometimes this is also known as your elevator speech. Write it down, commit it to memory and practice it OUT LOUD with your search partner. This is covered in the next unit, Controlling Your Interviews. Customize your career summary by focusing on the company, the product and the link to your specific skills.

     Make a schedule and stick to it. Remember that job fairs tend to be crowded. Allow plenty of time to park. Prepare a 4-item tool kit consisting of business cards, resumes, notebook and manila folder. Put business cards in a jacket pocket and resumes in a folder.

     Bring a notebook to make notes on EVERY conversation that you have. Be relentless in writing down the names of everyone you meet, highlights of your conversation and what you promised to send them. Attach a manila envelope to your notebook and put business cards from those you meet inside this envelope.

     One never gets a second chance to make a first impression. First impressions are critical. Therefore, before you go, have someone evaluate how you look. People are prejudiced about the funniest things. This is a sure eliminator and your job search goal is to be the last one standing. Do your job and dress for success.

     Working the job fair floor is an art. It involves critical time management and customized strategic planning for every company of interest. Plan on leaving a resume with every company where most of your skills match with the company’s needs. Don’t leave a booth without a business card and a follow-up commitment of some kind. Whatever you do, send a THANK YOU to everyone you met.

     Create a positive “hook” so that people will have an easy time remembering you. Don’t be another “me too” candidate. Remember that lots of jobs are obtained not because of technical qualifications but because of the right chemistry. Make yourself someone who interacts in a fun manner - someone with an upbeat attitude.

     Go to all the social events no matter how tired you are. It’s a lot easier to talk with a company executive while you are standing in a food line than it is to call the office and go through a gatekeeper.