10 Years of Growing Opportunities!

The 10th Annual Pomona College
Career & Internship Fair
Presented by the
Career Development Office
A Division of Student Affairs, Pomona College

Friday, February 6, 2009
 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Edmunds Ballroom,
Smith Campus Center

Making the Most of a Career Fair:
Tips & Hints

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Remember to dress professionally and bring several copies of your resume!

The relaxed and friendly “open house” format of a career fair makes it easy to explore career options, develop a network of career contacts, identify job openings, and even land an interview…in a short amount of time. Here are quick tips designed to maximize your success:

Research the companies in advance. If your main objective is landing an interview, do your homework beforehand. Review the roster of participating employers and take the time to learn something about them. A brochure of employer profiles is available at the CDO. Look for additional information in the CDO Resource Library or explore the Internet. On the day of the career fair, pick up additional literature, find a quiet corner, and study it in more detail.

First impressions are lasting impressions. You should look and act professional when meeting recruiters. If possible, dress in business attire. At the very least, good grooming is essential. Offer a firm, friendly handshake and be sure to make eye contact to establish rapport.

Market yourself. Consider the career fait as “round one” of a job interview. Be ready with a thumbnail sketch of the skills and talents that set you apart from others who are competing for the same job. Rehearsing your “pitch” will make you feel and appear more confident, organized and focused.

Bring several copies of your resume. Have enough resumes available to give to organizations you are targeting. Cover the basics: your work experience, educational credentials, extracurricular activities, and awards and honors. Be sure to include a daytime phone number.

Keep an open mind. Don’t exclude potential employers just because they are not a Fortune 100 company. Small and mid-size firms are where most new jobs will be created this decade. Consider hitching your wagon to a rising star, not just to a “brand name” corporation.

Broaden your focus. You may miss out on possible opportunities if you pass an employer because of preconceived ideas. Many technical firms off non-technical positions, and vice-versa. You’ll be surprised how many employers are looking for candidates with a solid liberal arts background, and internship or work experience.

Ask questions. Increase your knowledge of industry trends, job options, career paths, training programs, and other information that can help you make a wise career decision. Save your questions on salary and fringe benefits until the company has expressed a clear interest in you.

Prioritize your time. Choose the employers that interest you the most and talk to them first. Then, as time permits, expand your circle of contacts. Instead of standing in line to talk to a particular employer, circulate and come back later. Check out short lines to employer tables you hadn’t considered before. There might be something interesting you otherwise would have missed.

Follow up. Always ask for a business card for your records. It will be useful when you send thank you notes. The best practice is to send a thank you note within 24 hours and include your resume. You can also use the thank you note to briefly describe an additional selling point that you didn’t get to mention at the career fair.

One last word. Relax and enjoy the day! Explore, look, listen, and learn--you never know what career opportunities and new ideas may await you!
 

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