Many of us have been told by those listening to our unemployment woes to make sure to visit the Career Fair to secure a part-time or full-time position. Many of us may have even taken extra steps to ensure that we are the most presentable we can be to employers: revising the resume one last time, buying a suit that fits just right, and even practicing your elevator pitch with your Mom over the phone. We walk over to the fair, pumped and excited and expecting the employer to fall at our feet, bedazzled by our meticulous preparation and outstanding credentials.
However, I never realized how absolutely frightening it is to visit the career fair as a job-seeker. Add to that the stress of that annoying statistic, claiming only so many graduates will be employed this time next year, as well as the vast number of students waiting to visit the same employer you had planned to speak to. It is enough to make you feel like all the preparation you did was for nothing.
Not true: you are neither helpless nor a victim of circumstance. It is a matter of re-assessing your approach. Here are some tips I picked up during my experience:
1. Focus on getting that contact information more than anything else, if you happen to be in a big crowd with other students waiting to speak behind you. Once you have it, you can email them to follow up on your conversation, and maybe ask for an interview.
2. Being selective in the employers you choose to visit is key. Plan to do some research before the career fair so that you can make a greater impression on the employer when you speak to them.
3. Be confident! And if you can’t, fake it to make it. Confidence makes you seem more appealing and attractive as a candidate. More importantly, if you can “fake” it, chances are you will be able to internalize your confidence, and embody it.