How to prepare for a Job Fair
submitted by Tharsini Yoganathan

A job fair is a place which gives job seekers an opportunity to meet with hiring employers, understand their needs, evaluate your skills and experience, and present you as the suitable candidate.

Understanding how the job fair works would help get the maximum benefit out of it. We would like to help you to succeed at the Adventa Job and Career Expo by taking a very aggressive yet structured approach.

What to wear? You may be wondering how you should dress for the Job Fair. Here are some of suggestions:

Men: Dress as you would for a job interview. A shirt and tie is very appropriate, and a sport coat or suit is even better -- especially if you are in a business or professional field. Individuals in technical trades can be a bit more casual, but clothing will need to look clean and neat. Personal grooming and cleanliness in either case go without saying.

Women: Dress as you would for an interview. A blouse and skirt or dress slacks are appropriate, and a business suit is even better -- especially if you are in a business or professional field. Individuals in technical trades can be a bit more casual, but clothing will need to look clean and neat. Makeup and jewelry should be kept to a minimum. The event involves a great deal of time standing and walking, so flat shoes would be a preferred choice.

Remember that the employers in attendance are usually dressed professionally and expect the same from you.

Keep in mind that first impressions tend to be lasting ones. When you make contact with a potential employer -- even at a Job Fair -- you are being evaluated from the very beginning. Being properly prepared and "dressed for success" help you make a favorable first impression.

Generally, it is advised that you plan to spend the entire day at the job fair. According to Collegegrad.com, "You should always spend time in advance researching the employers that will be attending, not only to decide which you have an interest in, but also so that you are fully prepared for those you meet with. The very best time to attend is early in the morning and then again late in the day."

The job fair is not a "get acquainted session" for you to meet prospective employers. You are going to be there to attend multiple interview sessions. This requires, as we mentioned earlier, an aggressive yet structured approach.

How do you pick the employers to talk to? Well, "a good strategy to follow is to meet with the most popular employers early in the day, before the lines develop, and then talk with the "second-tier" employers during the main part of the day. Then before you leave, make one more contact with the employers you have an ongoing interest in. With proper planning and strategic timing, you can usually avoid the long lines and make your time more productive."

Understand clearly why you are there - Not to just get acquainted but to get noticed and to market yourself. How do you market yourself? It is like any sales. You have to know what the employers are looking for and how do you fit into that role better than anybody else.

It is advisable that job seekers develop multiple versions of the resume. After you have done your research on participating companies, you can create a few different resumes targeting those companies. The Spring edition of the Adventa Job Fair is being attended by variety of companies including Scotia bank, TD Canada Trust, RBC and major business establishments like FedEx, OMNI Television, Pizza Pizza, Intelligarde, Enterprise Rent-a-car, Omega Direct Services among others. It is therefore will be a good idea for someone interested in the finance sector to research typical job titles and types of responsibilities and then create several versions of the resumes. The job seekers should also create one general resume that they can hand out to other companies that they are interested in.

Understanding the background of the company is important and so is being able to present yourself in effective sound bites. You need to be able to tell them in a few sentences your background, experiences, capabilities, and expectations.

Be ready to draw them to you with questions about the areas in which the organization is growing and how your skills and experiences would effectively meet their needs. Be friendly. Dress smart. Bring several copies of your resumes. If you are applying for varying positions, prepare your resume and cover letter accordingly.

Attend the workshops being conducted by Human Resource professionals from the company that you are interested about. Understand the areas in which you need to improve and continue to work on them.

As said by Victor Frankl, 'Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom'.

Should you have any questions, email us at info@adventajobfair.com.

Some after the Job Fair "To Do's"

Contacting employers after the job fair

You can, and should, contact organizations after attending this (or any) job fair to express your thanks for interviews, do any follow-up an employer instructed, express your continued interest, etc.

Writing Follow-Up Letters

The following was extracted from http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/followupletters/l/aa021003.htm

Follow-up letters are also effective for

• Accepting an interview invitation
• Asking if a position for which you interviewed or submitted a job application is still open
• Asking interviewers for feedback explaining the reasons you were passed over for a job, so you can try to improve your chances
• Offering additional information about your qualifications that your resume and cover letter didn't or can't
• Staying "in touch" by reaffirming your interest in the company, after they've rejected your first attempt at employment
• Staying "in touch" after a layoff. As are many, your employer might be negligent about matching your qualifications to open jobs after laying you off, despite what they promised in your separation package.
• Requesting an extension to accept or decline a job offer
• Thanking an employer for a job opportunity after you've accepted it
• Thanking an employer for a job opportunity even after you've declined it. You never know when you might need to count on a job offer from that employer again.
• Calling attention to yourself once more, after sending an interview thank-you letter. It might help you to stand out among other applicants.

Tips to staying motivated

People want to hire those who are motivated and positive. Here are some tips to stay motivated and positive.

1. Set Goals
1. Set realistic goals.
2. Set goals you can measure.
3. Create small as well as large goals.
4. Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals.
2. Create Schedules
1. Create a daily schedule
2. Set aside a special time and space for your self-study.
3. Keep track of your progress.
3. Take Training Courses
1. You will learn new skills.
2. Meet new people.
3. Courses will help you boost your self-confidence and give you a sense of accomplishment.
4. Volunteer
1. You will be able to discover your hidden talents.
2. You will network and meet new people in your community.
3. You will be able to give something to the community.
5. Keep a balance in your life
1. Ensure that your life has a variety of activities, not just self-study.
2. Spend time with your family and friends.
3. Give yourself time for leisure and rest.
6. Find Support
1. Talk about your successes.
2. Seek advice.
3. Seek mentors.
4. Seek positive people.