Like many job-search related activities, attending career fairs can be either a memorable and productive experience or a spectacular waste of time depending on your objectives, the time you spend on company research, and your strategy. A little preparation for the event will help you avoid a day of aimless wandering, standing in frustrating and perhaps ultimately the wrong lines, and finding yourself tongue-tied when you finally do arrive face-to-face with a recruiter. Here are some tips to help make your experience a positive one.
RESEARCH
A successful day at a job fair often comes down to simply doing a little research ahead of time. Researching yourself and knowing who you are, what you want, what kind of job really turns you on is critical to your success. Recruiters look for passion and a love for one's vocation. Of course applicants need to match company needs, but if there is not an enthusiasm for their work, they may have lost the recruiter at "hello, my name is ... " Know what you are good at, and be ready to explain how your skills will make a particular company stronger and better. If you are talking about your best traits and what you love to do, then you will shine.
Research the companies that are going to be at the career fair. Be strategic and surgical; plan your attack. Who do you REALLY want to talk to? Who has the best fit? Prioritize the companies you want to see and the positions you are interested in. Have the position information ready. Apply on-line before the career fair if you can. Remember that if you are prepared to ask a question about a specific position, you could actually get a detailed answer that may launch into a meaningful dialogue.
RESEARCH a company's website beforehand; look at its areas of therapeutic or industrial focus. Know as best you can what the company is looking for, and figure out what you have that it needs and then target the approx 30–60 seconds that you have to get that point across. Using that time to recap your thesis is not going to give the recruiter a broad enough snapshot of you, and you do yourself a disservice if you isolate and present only one part of yourself.
PRE-APPLICATION
Again, whenever possible, apply before the job fair for positions you might be interested in. Most importantly, apply through the company's website. An e-mailed, faxed or snail-mailed resume has much less of a chance of reaching its intended recipient and remaining around for other's viewing than if you do what the companies ask you to do and apply through their websites. The majority of companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) and that is how your resume makes it to a hiring manager. More than likely you cannot get through the hiring process without being in the ATS, so it really works hugely to your advantage to apply through a company's website. Additionally, looking at a company website beforehand offers you the opportunity to see what other positions, that may not be represented at the career fair, could be a fit as well.
WHAT TO BRING?
I always suggest that you apply online but if you want a recruiter to take a quick look at your experience then make sure that your CV (Curriculum vitae) is formatted so that she can see easily who you are and what you can do. My recommendation is to create a hybrid of a resume and CV. A pure academic CV is going to not be enough for most recruiters to go on. You should create a resume (which lists employment, education, skills, techniques, positions responsibilities and recaps research projects) with a full publication list that is available for the recruiter if she asks. For areas like Discovery Research, a full publication list is critical to a candidate.
KNOW WHAT TO ASK & WHAT TO TELL THE RECRUITER
This is your chance, all 30–60 seconds of it, to create a commercial yourself. Maximize that time by following these tips:
- Have good questions prepared. Ask about the company growth rate and find out which areas are growing fastest. Inquire about career tracks for PhDs and non-PhDs as well.
- Make eye contact; communicate your name and interest area clearly and begin with a question which automatically engages a conversation.
- Relax! Smile and show your enthusiasm: Be attentive, really listen to the answers to your questions, and be positive about your career. Focus on your future and give forward looking answers.
FINAL REVIEW
You will never know just how valuable that career fair could have been for you unless you attend it. If your first visit does not result in a new career, it most assuredly will result in your learning something very valuable and can be a great new networking opportunity. You will most likely learn about a company that you never considered before and the experience is guaranteed to broaden your horizons in more than one way. It is also great interview practice! Imagine the possibility of ten mini-interviews in one day with different people from different companies allowing you to evaluate your impact on each person and learn from each encounter. That experience in itself is well worth the time taken!