Preparing for a Career Fair is Like Planning a Birthday Party…

I know, it doesn’t sound like there are many similarities between getting ready for a career fair and planning a birthday celebration, but if there’s anything I learned from celebrating my birthday this past weekend, there are definitely some overlaps that you can take into consideration:

1. Planning the right outfit is key: Whether you’re looking for a cute dress, matching shoes, and that perfect hint of detail from a statement necklace; it’s important to dress your best, but still professional, when meeting employers. You want to dress to impress, but also remember that you’ll be moving around from table to table—so same for a night out in the city, it’s probably best to ditch those 6-inch heels.
2. Do your research: Similarly to researching and finding a good restaurant everyone will enjoy, it’s important to do the research on employers to learn if it’s the right fit for you. You’ll also dazzle employers by your extensive knowledge and avoid the “deer-caught-in-the-headlights” look when you’re asked a question you don’t know the answer to.
3. Make a plan and prepare beforehand: You generally want to have an action plan of where you’re going and what events you’ll attend beforehand. You may need to call ahead and make reservations or set up a game plan for travelling. Similarly, you want to make a plan of which employers you want to visit before going to the career fair so you can utilize your time wisely and print out an appropriate number of resumes to hand out. Be sure to get your resume critiqued before the day of the event and print out extra in case you come across an employer you weren’t expecting to be interested in!
4. Follow up with people after the event: Whether it’s giving thanks to a guest for being a part of your celebration or sending some love for a birthday present you received, you want to follow up with recruiters with a thank-you letter to express gratitude for taking their time to meet with you. This leaves a positive impression on the employer and makes you more likely to get an interview! 

So, next time you’re planning a birthday celebration or looking to attend an upcoming career fair, be sure to keep these tips in mind so you’ll be prepared and ready to have a great time—or score that interview!

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant