A: For those prospective bilingual candidates with a higher degree, I would first recommend a staffing firm advisor, your college/university career advisor or a head hunter who all have great resources and can help guide you in the right direction.  Secondly, you should keep searching on your own for companies that have bilingual positions available in your field until you find the right one that matches your qualifications.  After you’ve found the right company for you, your time, experience, skills and dedication will help you achieve the level of pay you desire.

A: The length of time for finding the right job varies depending on your specific field, job market, salary range, knowledge, experience and other factors.  Your main task is to present yourself to the best of your abilities to the hiring companies, and hope that they like what they see in you.  If after looking for a job for three months, you have not found the right company or position yet, take another look at your resume and at your cover letter.  How are you presenting yourself to companies? How are you introducing yourself? Are you presenting the benefit that you’re bilingual?  Have you pointed out the successes you’ve had in your last positions?  If I were you, I would consider adjusting my approach and my overall presentation to companies.  Read your resume as if you were a recruiter and see if you like it, and if it appeals to you.  Another idea would be to have a friend check it out and see how they like your resume and cover letter.  See if they have a different approach than your original presentation.  You can also read a few blogs I wrote about resumes and cover letters. Good luck.

Mistake #3:  Inappropriate attire

Too many times, I’ve seen job seekers attend job fairs dressed too casually to make a good first impression. When getting dressed for a job fair, where you may meet your next employer, do not make the same clothing choices that you would if you were going to the mall or to a concert. The more professional you look, the better the impression you will make. The opposite is also true.

My advice: when dressing to attend a job fair, select apparel that does not detract from your professional image. Here are some guidelines that you can follow.

For men:
Acceptable options for men (cleaned and ironed, of course):
• A suit, including a jacket & a tie
• A blazer and a nice pair of pants, with no tie
• A nice pair of pants, and a nice shirt, with no tie

With all of these options, clean, polished shoes are your best bet.

Clothing to avoid:
• Jeans
• T-shirts
• Sneakers or other casual shoes

For women:
Acceptable options for women (cleaned and ironed, of course):
• A suit (a jacket with matching pants or skirt)
• A dress
• A blouse and a nice pair of pants

Clothing to avoid:
• Dresses and skirts that are shorter than knee-length
• Transparent or tight-fitting clothing
• Low necklines
• Jeans
• T-shirts
• Sneakers or other casual shoes

Note: If choosing to wear perfume, it should not be strong. Keep the accessories simple, including simple earrings, rather than large dangling ones. The idea is to keep the focus and attention on your credentials, not on your appearance. Your attire should help you create the impression of being a professional and should not be a distraction.

Mistake #2: Attending without (or with too few) printed resumes

The resume is essential to a job seeker’s success at a job fair. It is the introduction their credentials, their work experience, attributes and qualifications. (For more on resumes, click here.) A job seeker attending a job fair without copies of a resume to hand to prospective employers is equivalent to a baseball player stepping up to home plate and facing a pitcher to hit a ball without a bat. Don’t hurt your chances at a home run by making this mistake!

My advice: don’t leave home without plenty of copies of your resume! It is better to have more copies than you think you’ll need than not enough. Bring a folder or briefcase with you to the job fair to keep your printed copies organized and looking neat. (More on this here.) You don’t want to miss a single opportunity.

Mistake #1: Taking family members to the job fair.

Believe it or not, I have seen this a dozen times. In some cases, the job candidate may not have someone to watch his or her young kids the day of the job fair, and they decide to bring the kids along.  Or they bring Mom with them for company and moral support.  Simply put, it is unprofessional and will not make a good first impression with any company.  I’ve even seen people with strollers at job fairs — definitely not the best presentation of professional demeanor.  From an employer’s perspective, if a job seeker is unable to find someone to take care of their kids the day of the job fair, it may give the impression that they will not have enough freedom to come to work every day, or that they have too many responsibilities at home to be able to perform well at work. Taking Mom along also gives the impression that the job seeker lacks confidence, and may not be able to independently manage the responsibilities that the position entails. My recommendation: to make the most of the job fair day, leave family members at home. Attend the job fair on your own, as you would the first day at a new job.

Read this post for more information about how to prepare for a job fair, and check back tomorrow for the next mistake to avoid.

For the job openings that appealed to you most and fit best with your skills and experience, it is important to take the time to send a follow up email to the recruiter who you spoke with. Say that you enjoyed speaking with them and learning about their company. Reiterate that you would like the opportunity to take the next step to move the process forward – with a formal interview if appropriate. You can also inquire about other opportunities in the company if the position that you discussed wasn’t the best fit for you.

Remember, attending job fairs is a great way to make all sorts of connections. You may find the perfect job opening, or make a contact in another area of a company that interests you, or even learn of employment opportunities from other job fair attendees. Make your best effort to make a good impression, make the most of the day, and you may find your next great job.

(Start your job search now at BilingualJobFair.com, and don’t forget to sign up to be notified of future Bilingual Job Fair events in your area. Click here to sign up!)

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

You should have multiple copies of your well written one-page resume printed and ready to hand to the recruiters at the event. You can also bring copies of a cover letter introducing yourself and your qualifications. You may find that having a pen or pencil and some paper available for taking notes is helpful. To stay organized, bring a folder or portfolio to hold these materials, as well as any handouts you may receive at the job fair.

Self-confidence is very important. If you believe in yourself, it comes through to the participating companies. Dress for success. Put forth your best effort in how you dress for this day. Plan ahead and dress appropriately for the type of position you are interested in. Once you are ready with an outfit that is professional and gives you confidence, spend some time thinking about how to make an impact with your introduction. To feel more assured, it may be helpful to practice introducing yourself with a friend or family member. Be positive, smile, make eye contact, shake hands and say “Hello, my name is _____ and I am interested in learning more about opportunities with your company.”

If the information is available prior to the event, review the list of companies that will be participating in the job fair. The more familiar you are with the types of employers attending and the positions that they may have open, the better prepared you will be to discuss how your qualifications are a good fit.

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

If you have never been to a job fair, it helps to know what to expect. Booths are set up for the participating employers, and each employer has recruitment representatives available to hand out materials and speak with job candidates about the positions that are available at their company. There may also be additional resources available, such as copy centers and scheduled seminars, as well as an area designated as an “interview zone” for recruiters and candidates to speak in a more private setting.

Regardless of whether you attend a job fair that is broadly focused, or one that is designed for candidates with a specific type of specialty or skill, you will need to make a memorable impact on recruiters to make the most of these connections. It is important to make a good first impression in person, and to do so you will need to put some effort into preparing and planning for the event. At our Bilingual Job Fair Events, the most successful connections between bilingual candidates and companies seeking bilingual employees are made when candidates come prepared.

Next up: Preparing to Attend a Job Fair.

(Don’t forget to sign up to be notified of future Bilingual Job Fair events in your area. Click here to sign up!)

Mistake #3: Assuming a great resume is enough to get you hired

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that because you have been called for an interview the job is already yours. No matter how great your resume is, you still need to prove yourself in person. Keep in mind that the impression you make on a prospective employer may begin as soon as you walk through the company’s front door.

From the moment you arrive for an interview, remember your body language. Pay attention to your posture and your facial expressions, and keep a professional demeanor both with the person interviewing you as well as with anyone else in the company that you may meet. This includes the person that greets you in the front office or reception area.

I’ll share a true story with you about when I interviewed candidates for Account Executive positions at a broadcasting organization. Our receptionist was instructed to observe the candidates as soon as they walked through the front door. She noted how they greeted her, how they treated her, if they made small conversation with her, how they handled themselves at the front office, whether they talked to other employees — all of this while waiting to begin the job interview. If a candidate wasn’t polite and friendly to the receptionist, they would not be considered for the position, mainly because they were going to be working with people, and we took pride in treating people right.  This illustrates how a job candidate’s behavior is taken into consideration from the moment they enter the front office.