Prepare for the Job Fair

There are tons of pitfalls and wild geese routinely chased when trying to find a job. The idea alone that you could be heading down a blind alley is enough to paralyze your efforts. All of your hard work for nothing! Like anything else, you need to have some faith that you’re going to get there eventually. When people tell you to be confident, they’re not always talking about a winning smile and handshake, they’re talking about something more broad; a confidence in the idea that your skills will eventually find the place they’re needed. That it’ll happen, be patient.

And that’s good, true advice, but you also have to be smart. A job fair is one of the tools in your arsenal; maybe not the best, but worth a shot. So here’s how to do it the right way.

Pre-register.

Get a jump on people with a speedpass. If you can pre-register, be sure to do so. There’ll be more important paperwork to shuffle on game day.

Research Companies You Like.

Companies represented at job fair have to process a slew of candidates. Set yourself apart by letting them know they weren’t just a well-placed booth with a giveaway. Show em you were targeting them by demonstrating your knowledge of them.

Know thy Elevator Pitch:

An elevator pitch is you convincing someone face-to-face why your the best person for the job in the time it takes to ride an elevator. The key here is brevity and presenting a very targeted explanation of why you should be chosen for an opening. The best pitches are the ones that focus on the audience and best understand what the audience wants to hear.

Don’t Overdo It.

Visit the booths of companies you really like and really want to work for. You can only appear fresh and eager for so long. If there are some maybe companies, do them last. Set your priorities and map out your game plan.

Call Them Back.

Within 48 hours you should make contact and thank the people you met for their time. Briefly re-state your intentions and qualifications. And be positive.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.

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