Career Fair Preparation with Samantha Meyer and Whitney Denney from the Career Center

By: Raynor Manley

We are so thankful for Samantha and Whitney and all of their advice to help us prepare for the Career Fair next week! The Grady Career Fair will be held next Tuesday, February 8th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. It will be located in Tate Grand Hall. Around 40 companies will be in attendance. There will be a less formal mixer with refreshments in the PAF on the second floor of the Journalism building from 2:30 until 3:30 but fewer companies will be in attendance. Feel free to drop in between your classes and come back after a class. You can wear your backpack if you choose or you can leave it outside of Tate Grand Hall. When you check in, you will need to have your UGA ID scanned and a name tag will be printed for you.

Number One Piece of Advice:

  • Don’t let your Career Day fears make you nervous!! Follow the following advice, practice and be confident!
  • Trust in your experience, these employers are excited to talk to you and are coming to see you!

What to Expect and How to Make a Good Impression

  • Don’t linger too long at one employer.
  • Don’t interrupt an employer when they are speaking.
  • Wait your turn. Sometimes lines will form at employers. Be patient.
  • Turn your cell phone on silent.
  • Smile and show enthusiasm.
  • Carry a padfolio or nice folder to hold your resumes. (Bring around 10 copies of your resume, but whatever feels right to you will work)
  • Don’t pick up too many freebies.
  • Be professional and confident!
  • Name tag: place it on your right hand side.

Plan Your Visit:

  • Be strategic – don’t visit your TOP company first. You want a couple of practice rounds before talking to them.
  • Go independently.
  • Be enthusiastic!
  • Handshake alternatives – some people aren’t comfortable with handshakes, go with the flow and be respectful of varying comfort levels.
  • Maintain eye contact.
  • Breathe and smile!
  • Bring questions.
    • Don’t be afraid to write them down!

After speaking to an employer, take notes!! You will often forget what you talked about without writing it down, especially if you are talking to a lot of different employers. There will be empty tables where you can stop to write down notes or you can step out of the Grand Hall to get some air and take notes. You should write down the company name, who you talked to and some bullet points. If they gave you an action item, like email them your resume, make sure to write this down and make sure to do it!

Resume Tips and Examples:

  • Avoid cliches like
    • I’m a team player
    • I have great communication skills
    • Assisted in X task
  • Communicate your value
  • Don’t make employers infer your experience
  • Include keywords
  • One page only for Career Fair
  • Feel free to have creativity with your resume, but content is what is most important, not design

Resume Resources:

  • Resume Reviews
    • Feb 3 and 4
    • 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
    • PAF, Journalism Building, 2nd floor
    • Visit career.uga.edu
      • Students – Resumes and Cover Letters

Resume Book:

  • Submit your resume to the Resume Book for employer sponsors of the event:
  • Deadline to submit your resume is Feb 6 at 11:59 pm

Networking:

  • Introduction
    • No word vomit
    • “Hi, I’m Raynor. What brings you to this event?”
  • After they introduce themselves:
    • “It’s so nice to meet you. I am interested in pursuing a career in ____. Do you have any suggestions for me as to how I can get closer to reaching my professional goals.”
  • After they provide you with advice:
    • “I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me! You’ve shared some really great advice and I’ve learned so much from this and was wondering if it would be okay if we were to stay in touch.” Then get their contact information or business card/ email address.

Example Pitch: Hello my name is Raynor Manley. I am a junior studying public relations and double minoring in general business and communication studies. I am looking for an internship in the public relations industry. Over the past few years, I have interned with BizBash as the Editorial and Social Media Intern and served as the Director of Content for PRSSA. Through this position, I have developed a better understanding of the PR industry as well as useful skills that I hope to use in my next position. I know that ____ is currently hiring for _____. I am interested in applying. Could you tell me more about the application process?

Attire:

  • Either wear business casual or business professional
  • Follow @ugacareercenter on Pinterest for inspiration
  • It is not the day to try out a new makeup or new shoes

Research Employers:
Researching the companies you want to talk to is a very important first step you must do before attending the Career Fair.

Resources

  • Handshake Employer List
  • Company Website
  • Google Search
  • Social Media
  • May already have jobs posted on Handshake
  • If you can’t find any information, don’t be afraid to ask but make it clear you tried to find the information on your own

What to ask an employer?

  • What are the characteristics of an ideal candidate?
  • What type of training or support do you provide a first year employee?
  • What is the company/ organization culture like?
  • What do you enjoy most about working there?
  • May I contact you with further questions?
  • What do I need to know about the application process?

What NOT to ask an employer?

  • What is the salary for the position?
  • What jobs are you offering?
  • What benefits do you offer?
  • How big is your organization?
  • What do you do?

Closing The Deal:

  • Collect business cards and take notes
  • Complete any necessary applications
  • Determine follow up, know the next step
  • Say thank you!
  • Send thank you emails
  • Within 24 hours, if possible
  • Remind contact of conversation highlights
  • Example in Career Guide

Good luck!! We know everyone attending will do a GREAT job! See you at our next meeting!