Welcome back! Although we have just started school, you probably have noticed many students walking around campus in their best business attire, hair nicely combed, and with a portfolio in hand. Errrhh, that’s weird, wonder where these folks are going? Well if you weren’t aware, recruitment and employment has kicked into high season! Yep, that’s right there are various career fairs happening almost every week on campus. Why so early you may ask? Well these employers are especially interested in Cal Students and want to recruit as many junior associates or other entry-level positions as soon as they can before they lose you to someone else once you graduate. Not to mention, it also gives you a sense of relief knowing that you have something lined up for you after you graduate.
Even in this tough economy, there are jobs out there waiting for you. However, it’s not as easy as standing in line and filling out a form to get that job. There are some important preparation steps to take before you even step foot inside that career fair or participate in on campus recruiting..
The following are some great tips that can help you get the most out of a career fair:
-
Research the company. That doesn’t mean just read the job description, but really investigate. See what they are up to. Are there upcoming projects that you can see yourself really being into? Have you conducted informational interviews with people in that company to truly see if that's a place you could see yourself?
-
What’s your pitch? It might seem quite scary to go into a room full of people especially people who are scouting for future employees and try and make yourself stand out. Here’s what I have to say about that: be yourself, and let the recruiter know who you are, what you’re interested in and how you can possibly seeing yourself be a great match to their company. Recruiters are there to be the friendly face of the company, so don’t be afraid of them. Their job is to be as nice as they can to recruit as many applicants as possible. Their friendliness makes it easier on you to make a great impression.
-
Always be friendly. The Recruiters are your inside point person to all the positions that are going to be available. Inside one company, there are so many different kinds of careers and positions that it's a good idea to just check out a company even if it is not the exact company or industry you were interested in.
-
Dress professionally! Recruiters can tell when they see that you have put effort and thought into your outfit. You’ll also stand out compared to the other students who just are in campus casual clothing. You want every opportunity you can get to make that lasting positive first impression!
-
Have lots of copies of your resume on hand! Once you make that bond with a recruiter, its always best to back it up with a resume. Make sure you proof read your resume and if you have time have it checked and reviewed by a career counselor or a peer advisor!
-
Have fun! The more fun you have inside that career fair, meeting people, learning about new job opportunities, scoring free swag, the easier and less nerve wracking this whole searching for a job thing will be.
Hope these few tips will help you out and be sure to check out all the career fairs and even grad school fairs that we have coming up this semester!
Enjoy your semester and always remember that the career center is a resource you should utilize while at Cal.
Blog written by Chika Kondo, 3rd year Political Science and Society & Environment Major
Comments