AgCareers Career Guide - September 2016 - US

11 / 48

AATTENDING YOUR CAMPUS career
fair can be key to securing your first
career or internship. Unfortunately,
many students skip this critical
opportunity, or those that do attend are
unprepared.
GETTING PREPARED
A prepared student has dressed for
success in professional and well-fitted
clothing. Even if not wearing a full suit,
their attire doesn’t look like they picked
it up off of their floor. Since they know
they’ll be on their feet, their shoes are
professional yet comfortable.
They also have copies of their
generic resume as well as customized
resumes for specific employers. Be sure
to keep these organized so not to give a
resume with a competitors’ name or job
title referenced in the objective. They
may also have a handful of personal yet
professional business cards.
An unprepared student walks up
to the booth and asks, “What does
your company do?” “What kind of jobs
do you have?” You should know these
answers before the career fair, but sadly,
most students use these as their intro
questions. Every career fair publishes a
list of companies in attendance. Many of
those lists include company information,
their website, and often titles for the
roles they are recruiting for.
A prepared student takes initiative
and does a little homework before the
career fair. Beyond the basics, research
the company’s mission, competitors
and clients, and if they have been in the
news lately (and for what)—from
positive, reputable media. Take notes
about the companies that you hope to
visit and leave space to quickly jot notes
following each interaction.
ASKING THE QUESTIONS
Having thoughts and questions to
review before approaching a booth will
give you a conversation starter so you
don’t have to rely on off-the-wall jokes
to “break the ice!” Also, this preparation
will help the conversation flow and
allow for more meaningful discussion.
Start with a firm handshake, eye
contact, and a professional greeting.
Have an elevator pitch prepared
including your name, major, graduation
date, and career objective. Practice this
a lot—basic information about yourself
can just disappear when you’re nervous.
Then reference the open roles you’ve
found they are recruiting for, the
specific requirements and skills you’d
bring to the role, and how the position
fits your passion. Follow that with
questions you have about the
organization based on your research.
For example, ask about the future of
the company or the company culture.
You might also ask about recognition
or awards the company has received.
Remember to be conscientious of your
time and the representative’s.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Before leaving, ask about next steps. If
your conversation has gone well and
you think you’d like to further explore
employment, this is a critical step.
Offer a copy of your resume but
understand if the representative directs
you to their website instead. This is
where those business cards come in
handy. This also gives you a chance to
ask for their card, which will be helpful
when following up. They may also be
staying to conduct interviews on-
campus and you could sign up for a spot.
Now is the time to accept any
material or swag item (notice item is
singular!) that the company is handing
out. Don’t forget to find an area where
you can jot down notes and review your
notes for the next booth.
The simple act of attending and
visiting with a few companies at a
career fair will allow you to make
significant progress in landing the
internship or career you want. Going a
step further by preparing will decrease
your perspiration and increase your
success!
the importance of preparation
BEFORE THE CAREER FAIRby Ashley Collins, Education & Marketing Manager
Comic by Becca Schwartz
11 A g & Food CAreer guide