Career Fair/Networking Etiquette

To be successful at a job fair, develop a plan of action which gives you confidence and sets you apart from the crowd. Remember, winning starts in your head, and with your personal capabilities and qualities this will be a positive job search experience.

Helpful Tips to Remember

• Review the employer information. Review what you can offer.
• Dress appropriately – Business Casual. No smoking or gum chewing. Avoid heavy cologne and perfume.
• Have copies of your resume ready.
• Orient yourself to the facility by locating interviewing, telephone and restroom areas.
• Observe how people approach the interview tables, and watch the traffic flow in the room.
• Develop an interview plan which includes taking a break to assure that you will look and feel your best.
• As you approach the interview table, respect other people’s privacy as they complete their interviews.
• Conduct yourself professionally at all times. Remember that you are on stage even as you stand in line.
• As you approach the interview table, establish eye contact, present a firm handshake, introduce yourself and explain why you are interested in the company.
• If the interviewer invites you to sit down, put your materials in your lap or beside your chair on the floor, not the table.
• Have a three-point agenda: know what you are looking for, what you have to offer and what questions you will ask about the employer.
• Listen carefully and take conversational cues from the interviewer. Use the interviewer’s name and title.
• Try to generate and maintain interest by smiling, responding to questions with specific and concise examples, keeping your voice lively and in a pleasant tone, using humor appropriately and avoid clichés.
• Link qualifications (skills, abilities, experience) with the job/employer.
• Use transition statements to share information about yourself that the interviewer may not have addressed (e.g.: “That’s interesting, I had an experience that relates…”)
• Respond truthfully, while always painting a positive picture of yourself.
• Ask for employer information, application materials and the interviewer’s business card.
• Ask about the hiring process and its time lines, and determine actual and potential openings.
• At the end of the interview, offer a firm handshake and express your appreciation using the interviewer’s name.
• Walk away with confidence, remembering that you are still on stage.