THE BILINGUAL JOB FAIR BLOG

At the Job Fair: How to Make a Good Impression and Make the Most of the Day

November 23, 2009

You arrive at the job fair prepared, looking great, feeling positive — you are ready to start meeting companies.  What now?

It’s time to make your plan for how to make the most of the day. As soon as you walk into the job fair, pick up a program. Review the map which shows where each participating employer is located and make some decisions about which companies you want to meet the most. Depending on the number of people at the job fair, you may be fighting through crowds, but your first objective should be to meet with your top 5 or 10 companies.

Approach your top companies one by one. Use the introduction you practiced as a way to begin a conversation about the positions each company currently has available, and the qualifications they are seeking. Offer a copy of your resume (and cover letter if you have one) and give a quick summary of your qualifications, being sure to touch on those that match the credentials they are looking for. Before you leave that booth, make sure you have expressed your interest in the position, thank the recruiter for their time and find out what you need to do to get a more formal job interview with the company.

After you have met with all of your top companies, take a break. Take a moment to drink some water and/or eat a little something.  Take another look at the job fair program and booth map, and pick out your second tier of companies. Use the time you have left to visit the booths of your “B List” to make sure you are taking advantage of every opportunity to make a connection with a potential employer. By the time you have completed your secondary list, the job fair may be coming to an end. You should leave the event with a good understanding of what each of your top companies is looking for, ready to follow up with the companies that appealed to you the most.

Next: After the Job Fair: Following Up

Filed under: Job Hunting

Tags: bilingual careers, bilingual job, Bilingual Job Fair, bilingual skills, job fair, job fairs, Job Hunting, job search