Job Fairs Aren't for Sissies; 10 Tips to Improve Your Chances
There is more competition in the job market than there was a few years ago, so it pays to get out there. Attending a job fair beats sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring. If nothing else, it's a place to schmooze and find out what's happening. Your approach to the fair may make a huge difference in whether you achieve satisfactory results.
Joe received his layoff notice on a Friday. After a week at home, he knew he had to get out and make some contacts. He found and landed his last job at a job fair, and soon discovered on the Internet there was a tech fair in his area the following week.
Armed with several copies of his resume, Joe set out with an air of confidence. His confidence got a blow when he arrived at the site and saw the long line of people waiting to get in. This was going to be a very different experience than his last job search. As he walked down the line, he met friends and former coworkers. He tried to find out what was going on inside and how to deal with it. Some of his friends were veterans of the system and were glad to share some survival tips with him. Here are 10 of those tips:
1. Once inside, get a list of participating companies and choose which companies interest you. Spend your energies on them rather than wandering from booth to booth.
2. Check out job openings for each company of interest, typically found on a listing sheet. Or use a computer, if provided, to look up individual companies.
The first item of business for an interviewer to determine is if you have the qualifications to perform the duties of the job. That is the basic part of interviewing - to determine if the qualifications and experiences fit the requirements of the position.
