Career Engagement

Career Fair Strategies That Work

If you are in a Google group, are a member of a family, or have met someone at your college or university orientation who is still your friend, you already know how to network. We meet, form bonds, text, and call our friends to share good news. As a species, we are natural networkers—our survival depends on it.

Schmoozing at career fairs and events is what most people think of when defining networking—standing out in a crowd, making a lasting impression that will land you a job or internship. The reality for most mortals is, however, that although it is important to practice small talk and have good interpersonal skills, most of us do not exude extraordinarily magnetic personalities.

Working magic in a crowd, in fact, is not the most important part of networking.

Great networkers know what any career fair recruiter will tell you: At the end of the day, recruiters’ feet hurt, their voices are raw, and aside from a few exceptional interactions, they have spoken with so many individuals they don’t remember who they spoke with about what.

This is why the real art of job-search networking comes in after the actual fair—the follow up.

When advising students on strategies for two major annual career fairs (one for 1,300+ students from eight universities; one for 250 students from two universities), I emphasize four things:

1. Strategically select top employers to visit: Quick Internet research provides information to help determine which employers align best with your career goals. Arrive early and visit your top choices while you (and the recruiters) are fresh.
2. Ask good questions: Advanced research will help you prepare smart questions. After a quick introduction, ask a question about recruiting level or specific practice areas to be sure you are not wasting your time or theirs—Are you hiring at the master’s level? Are you interviewing for your renewables practice? If you already know what they are recruiting for, start there—“I’d like to learn more about the project areas for the policy internships.”
3. After discussions, find a place to stop and take notes: Notes don’t have to be extensive. I use business cards and/or a small notebook to write the reason I want to follow up, contact information, and content of conversation.
4. Follow up within a few days: Decide which leads are of interest and follow up with an e-mail that picks up where the discussion left off. If you have been directed to an online application, complete it, send the recruiter a thank you and let him or her know you applied. If you connected personally with a recruiter, but there is no immediate opportunity for you, send him or her a thank you note and a LinkedIn request. There is no need to follow up on every single contact. It’s OK to be strategic.

If you have taken good notes after a productive conversation, it is easy to follow up. And most often you are doing the recruiter a favor. The work you put in to making the recruiter’s job easier, whether it results in an immediate outcome for you or not, is a positive and generous act.

And you never know where follow-up will lead. Through courteous follow-up and strategic networking, job seekers get interviews, discover the hidden job market, and learn the inside scoop on organizations.

Kathy Douglas is the associate director in the Career Development Office, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. She works with a global population of dynamic graduate students interested in high-impact, solution-based environmental careers, advanced research, and thought leadership.

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers

Here's another article about Career Fair Success! http://www.careerealism.com/job-fair-tips-acing/

Four Steps to Career Fair Networking

by Kathy Douglas

Career Fair Prep

• Perfect your resume.
• Get your professional dress ready (typically business casual or business dress).
• Practice introducing yourself.
• Find out which employers are attending.
• Research the employers you want to meet with.
• Prepare specific and general questions.

What to Bring

• Business cards
• Padfolio, notepaper, and pen
• 10-15 resumes (depending on fair size)

During the Fair

• Walk around to meet employers alone—you might have friends at the fair who you check in with, but don't travel as a posse.
• Limit your give-away item collecting.
• Introduce yourself with a smile, a handshake (if recruiter offers a hand), and a few relevant details about yourself, your education/experience, and/or interest in the employer.
• Speak slowly and confidently.
• Be strategic—talk to your top three employers first, others if you have time.
• Take quick breaks between rounds of visits to freshen up and take a breather.
• Don't dominate recruiters, be mindful of other students waiting in line.
• Ask about opportunities and next steps if there are specific openings.
• Wait for cues from recruiter regarding resumes—some will be collecting them, others might direct you to follow up by e-mail, or apply online.
• Get the appropriate contact information and/or ask for a business card.
• Thank recruiters after speaking with them.
• Take notes as soon as you walk away from a table.

After the Fair

• Take a few minutes immediately after fair to sort through your notes and make a list of follow-up items.
• Follow up and thank recruiters of particular interest. (You don't have to follow up with everyone.)
• Follow up with online applications, or by sending a resume and cover letter to the appropriate contact.
• Reach out via e-mail or by telephone to reps who were not at fair, but who work with your level of education/field.
• Set up informational interviews with individuals at companies/organizations of particular interest to you, and with alumni in these organizations.
• Check in with your career office with specific questions.

Kathy Douglas is the Associate Director Career Development Office, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Good Questions To Ask at the Interview

You've probably heard it a million times: A job interview should be a two-way conversation. You may assume that means someone asks questions and you offer answers. But that's only half of the conversation. Interviewers expect you to ask questions, too—and asking thoughtful questions can polish your image as a job seeker.

Asking questions is one way to show that you are interested in the job. It shows you've researched the organization and you've heard what the interviewer has told you about the job. Your questions also will help you see how the job and the organization fit into your career goals.

When preparing questions before the interview, your first stop should be the organization's website—don't want to ask questions that are already covered online. Next, pay close attention to details that come to light during the interview—you'll want to include questions on information you hear.

Here are examples of questions you can ask (and why you should ask them):

What does a typical work day look like? What is a typical week like in this job?

With whom would I be working? Who would be my supervisor?

What are the challenges facing the person in this position? What are your expectations for this role?

Why did you choose to work for this company?

How would you describe your company culture?

What is the natural career progression for employees with my skill set?

Does this organization have a formal mentor or coaching program? How is it structured?

What kind of internal and external training do you provide?

After you've asked your questions, restate your interest in the organization.

Then, ask for the job—this reiterates your interest in joining the organization.

Finally, ask these few last questions:

• What is the next step in the hiring process?
• When will you make your decision?
• May I call you?
• When is a good time?

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Five Tips for the First Day of Your Internship

by Chaim Shapiro

Internship season is about to begin. As most colleges begin to wind down their academic year, companies across the country are getting ready for the influx of interns that will work for them over the summer.

Career Engagement professionals will spend a lot of time over the next few weeks helping their students prepare for their internships.   To that end, please feel free to share Top 5 Tips for the First Day of Your Internship with your students!

Internships are an incredible opportunity, and you need to hit the ground running to take full advantage.

1) Understand the Opportunity There are plenty of jokes about interns spending their summer making coffee and wasting their time with busy work.  Don’t fall for that misconception. Companies have no need to waste their time or your time, and they don't need cheap labor.

Companies have internship programs so that they can test drive the talent. They want to see you and how well you work in a professional setting.  Take your responsibilities seriously from day one.  A successful internship is the best way into many companies!

2) Recognize that They WANT to Hire You Most interns don’t realize that the company is invested in your success. If you were hired as an intern, that means they believe you have the right skills to make an excellent full-time employee. The human resources professionals who run the internship programs are judged based on their “conversion rate” from interns to full-time employees.

From the company’s perspective, a higher conversion rate means that the internship program was well recruited and well run. That means they want to hire you. Give them what they want!

3) Know the Company This may seem obvious, but employees tend to be passionate about their company. Make sure you know everything there is to know about the company before you start. Your knowledge and expertise will help you stand out compared to less-prepared interns.

4) Learn Your Role Most companies hire interns to work in a specific subdivision of the company. Learn the mission of that department and your role in it. Success begins with mastering your role and exceeding the expectations for your position. It is much easier to be successful when you know what you are supposed to accomplish.

5) Network, Network, Network! Network as much and as often as you can during your internship. Do not miss a company social or networking event. Attend the company barbecue, networking events, socials, etc. Try to make a positive impression on a large number of people. Your network will be essential for your future success, both at that company and beyond.

Chaim Shapiro is the Director of the Office for Student Success at Touro College.

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.