The Rutgers Spring 2016 Career & Internship Mega Fair took place over two days in early February and I made a point to attend. As some of you may know, I joined the active job seeker ranks in late 2015, complete with attending networking events (see my take on a BioHub networking event here) and career fairs. I have gained some experiences that I can share with the rest of you on what works, what doesn’t, and what can make some of the hiring processes you go through that much easier. When people say that your resume, cover letter and networking abilities are all aimed at getting you the INTERVIEW, and not the JOB, they mean it. By some accounts, less than 2% of all job applicants make it to an interview. Once you get to the interview, you are on your own to prove you have the skills, drive and personality to fit with the team. Until then, however, job seekers must reach out to everyone they can for assistance in securing said interview. Career fairs are a great way to meet recruiters face-to-face, help them get a better sense of who you are, and, if your skills are a decent match for the position, get a phone screen or an interview. Even getting a longer read-through of your resume than the common seven seconds is a great start. Here, I want to detail some of the more useful career fair tips I have heard, and some that I have put to use.
Don’t try to meet with everyone. Instead, focus on studying the employers beforehand, picking a list of 5-10 companies, and learning about them. Have conversation starters about why you want to work for that company. I spoke with one company in February, where the recruiter told me she gets a lot of people coming up to her, saying, “I LOVE this company! I really want to work for you! …What is it you do again?” Instead, be the person who stands out and knows about the company’s latest FDA-approved drug or merger.
Have resumes and business cards ready; take business cards for follow-ups. To show you really have done your research, know what positions the company has open before you go to the career fair. You can either have a resume targeted for one type of positon, about which you will speak to all the companies on your list, OR if you have time, prepare targeted resumes and elevator pitches for each company. This is where doing a good job preparing for 5 companies will work much better than coming poorly prepared for 20 companies. If you want to go the extra mile, pick your top two or three choices and write a cover letter to give them in-person, too. Take business cards from everyone you speak with, and when you follow up by e-mail within 24 hours, attach a digital copy of the resume and cover letter you already handed them, just to make it easier for them to remember you.
Want more? Reach out in advance! If you can get in touch with a company’s HR a few days or a week before and send them your resume and cover letter in advance, the recruiters at the career fair may already know of your skills and can do a more thorough assessment of you in-person at the fair. You will also stand out as someone who takes initiative and really shows interest in the company. Alternatively, I applied online with a company and went through the phone screen. I heard nothing back except that my information had been passed onto the hiring manager. When I heard that a representative of the company would be at the career fair, I decided to go say hello. It was the same recruiting specialist I had spoken with on the phone over a month before! I admit that I don’t know for sure if putting a face to the name was what made the difference in this case. All I know is that after over a month of hearing nothing, 2 days after the career fair I was invited for the next level of the hiring process. Be persistent, and maintain any connections you make even if you don’t succeed in finding a position with that company the first time around. Don’t be afraid to approach people face-to-face! As fellow blogger Myka Ababon wrote, being unsuccessful in the hiring process with a company once does not mean this company’s doors are closed to you forever!
Now you are ready to go out to career fairs and make an impression! Remember the basics: dress in full business formal wear, have your resumes at the ready, and smile!
