By Todd B Bavol
If you are looking for a career change, you may want to visit a
job fair. Most areas have more than one of these opportunities for
individuals to engage hiring managers and companies. It is a good idea
to invest in the right company to submit your resume to, but that's
often not enough. Some job fairs have hundreds of people attending them,
all who may be vying for that handful of open jobs. How can you stand
out and make a good impression at one of these events?
Be Yourself and Be Genuine
Keep
your head up, smile and shake a hand. When you are at a job fair, it is
easy to turn off prospective hiring managers by not doing these simple
things. They need to learn who you are and find out what you have to
offer. You need to ensure that you are not arrogant or, in any way,
pushing yourself on them. You want to be genuine with the professionals
there. Find out what they have to offer and be sure to come across as an
interested party.
Have a Resume on Hand
Though you may be
able to fill out job applications at the site, it is a good idea to
bring along your resume as well. When you are looking for a career
change, you may even want to ask the hiring manager to speak to you
about this opportunity. You want to form a connection that the piece of
paper of a resume or a job application cannot. Discuss your experience
and your needs. You may find that job fairs are great opportunities to
learn what others think of your career change, too.
Be Respectful of Their Time
With
hundreds of people in attendance, most hiring managers do not have an
hour to sit down and talk to you. That's why you need to keep your
meeting brief. One way to do this is to make a commercial about
yourself. Rehearse a few lines that provide the most information about
yourself, what you have to offer and why the company should consider
hiring you. Be impressive.
The fact is, a job fair is a good
opportunity to build your network, discuss your career change needs with
the HR manager and to get information about what is out there. However,
that hiring manager needs to be impressed in order to remember who you
are. With hundreds of people at the job fair, it is up to you to make
that good impression.
Todd Bavol is the President and CEO of Integrity Staffing
Solutions. Integrity Staffing Solutions is a national staffing firm
assisting individuals and corporations in making the right employment
fit. To view job openings in Warehouse, Professional and Administrative
positions, visit the Integrity Staffing Solutions web site at http://www.integritystaffing.com.