How to get the most out of job fairs - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Viewpoint careers advice blog

How to get the most out of job fairs - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Since I moved to the UK last October, I have run/hosted/represented at various international job fairs with over 20,000 international students in attendance. As a result of my time spent at these events, I’ve gained some good insight into how students can best represent themselves upon attending. These events are often your first point of contact with prospective employers, so it’s important you make a good first impression. You also have to consider the fact that each stall will have hundreds of visitors throughout the day â€" so it’s only by following the below guidelines that you’re going to stand out from your competition and make a success of your career  fair experience. These guidelines fall into four main categories, each of which conveniently begins with an ‘R’. The Four ‘R’s:  1.  Research I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to do your research, especially for international fairs â€" a lot of the companies present have invested heavily and have probably travelled from other parts of the world to recruit bilingual talent. A well-prepared attendee will at the very least go onto the event websites and research the companies they are interested in; with so much information readily available online it’s the very minimum that’s expected of you. Understanding what your preferred companies do, what cultures they have and where you might fit in will be of great help when selling yourself on the day. Bringing a cover letter along (as well as your CV) which details this specialised information, is also an advisable way to demonstrate the sincerity of your interest. 2. Resume/CV Don’t treat a job fair as just an information session; it’s an opportunity to present yourself to prospective employers, so prepare thoroughly. It always surprises me when anyone shows up to a job fair without a CV â€" to me it’s like going to a battlefield without a gun! Presenting a CV at a job fair indicates that you are organised and serious about your job hunting process, as opposed to someone who just swings by to do some window shopping. Ensure that you’re winning even greater brownie points by submitting a CV that’s going to grab the employer’s attention and answer all their questions by following the tips offered in our ‘How to impress a recruiter with your CV’ blog. Use this as an opportunity to not just submit your details, but to also make a record of the employers’. This way if they don’t get in contact with you about your CV then you can always follow up with a courteous email. 3. Represent yourself Your CV tells a story of what you studied and what you did so far, but it does not necessarily represent you as a person â€" as our CEO Alistair Cox recently wrote, “soft skills are hard to write down”. To us at Hays, for example, your background, education history and gender are less important to us than what you are like as a person â€" if you don’t believe me then have a read of my colleague Jenna Alexander’s recent blog, ‘Could you be a recruiter?’ After the first stage of research, if you know there is a company you want to work for, make sure you greet the representatives with a confident smile, together with a firm handshake â€" believe it or not, many employers can tell whether they are going to hire someone or not within the first minute of the meeting. Also, if you are asked a question, be genuine, and try to avoid scripted responses. Don’t think too much about what the employers might want to hear (most of us are all too familiar with the “I’m a passionate, hard-working individual who works well in both teams and on my own” spiel); show your true colours. It helps to prepare an example to substantiate every claim that you make â€" for example, if you describe yourself as an innovator then give examples to back it up. And if you don’t know something, say you don’t know â€" remember, first impressions count! 4. Reassess your priorities As job fairs are becoming increasingly international, “I can work anywhere and do anything” is becoming a very common answer. While such a statement is halfway to being factually correct â€" most of us now have a globally transferrable skillset, owing to increased globalisation and connectivity â€" it also sounds too vague, and maybe even desperate. Research your visa requirements and reassess your priorities and communicate your number one priority upfront, whether that be a specific location, industry or specific business. This comes back to doing your research â€" if you’ve thought carefully about your skillset and ambitions and are able to communicate this through a career plan then the hiring managers present are a lot more likely to take you seriously. Unless you have and are able to demonstrate a strong passion for your choices, your reasoning will sound hollow and insincere. A final thought Take ownership of your job hunting process, be proactive and don’t wait to be spoon-fed information. Recruiters, hiring managers and employers appreciate most the candidates who put their best foot forward, and who are able to demonstrate their eligibility for whatever role they’re declaring an interest in through their passion and fastidiousness. These are the keys to job fair success tick all of the above four boxes  and you’ve got every chance of coming away with a smile on your face. If you are keen to discover whether you have what it takes to work at Hays then play our interactive video: Iframes are required to view this content. Visit the Join Hays website to find out more about life at Hays About to start your job search? Reading our job searching tips will help ensure it’s a success How to develop your stategic networking game plan The three types of network you need to succeed in your career How to defeat the dreaded Assessment Centre Could you be a recruiter? How to use Facebook and LinkedIn in your job search 15 questions to ask your interviewer Asking the right questions