How to get the most out of CTP Job Fairs
Category: Tips and Advice
Publish date: 01/04/2016
An Employment Fair can be quite daunting; there are lots of stands, and other Service leavers waiting to speak to employers. How can you make the best use of your time and find out about all the opportunities which are available?
Firstly, do some preparation in advance:
Research ahead of the day; see which of the companies attending interest you, and identify which ones are seeking someone with your skills and prepare a target list.
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Think about the type of questions you would like to ask.
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Prepare your CV/s and whilst we advise that any application made for a specific role is accompanied by a tailored CV for that particular vacancy, employers at these events are often happy to accept CVs on the day so go prepared and take plenty of copies with you.
- As you don’t know what specific role you are aiming this CV at, it might be useful to take either a brief one page resume, or a much longer generic CV.
- If you need assistance with finishing your CV, ask your Career Consultant prior to attending to check your CV.
- Dress appropriatelyy - you don’t need to be dressed in a formal suit; however you should make an effort to dress in smart business attire. Remember - first impressions count!
- You will usually be given a welcome pack at the event, take your time and read through the booklet before you go in and plan your approach.
Now you're ready to approach an employer:
- Start with a smile and a friendly greeting; introduce yourself with a handshake as this will naturally help exude confidence. If you don't feel confident, just pretend!
Remember, companies attending CTP Employment Fairs are there because they want to meet Service leavers like you and find out about your skills and experience.- A good way of breaking the ice is to ask a general ‘open’ question such as:
> Could you tell me a little bit about your business?
> How large an organisation are you?
> What type of person and skills are you looking for?
- This will lead in to a discussion where you can then suggest that they might be interested in someone with your skills, and briefly tell them your main selling points - your 30 Second Commercial or ‘Elevator Pitch’.
- Be ready to briefly discuss your career goals, skills, qualifications, work experience and extracurricular activities.
- It is very useful to get their business card too at the end of the discussion. If they give you a general company business card, make a note of their personal details on the back so you can remember who you spoke with.
- Don’t forget this is a marketing opportunity, so try and highlight the relevant skills you have for the type of company you are speaking to.
- They will probably ask you for a copy of your CV. Give them a copy of the generic CV you have with you, but ask for a contact name and email address where you could send a more targetted CV later. Don’t be disappointed if an employer refuses to keep a copy of your printed CV, many may provide you with an email address or their recruitment website where you can send/upload your CV.
Finally...
Take your time, the companies are there all day, so take a pause after each discussion. You might want to make some notes to help you compile a targetted CV at a later date for a particular employer, or to remind yourself of what was discussed.
Do a mental checklist. Have you spoken to all the companies who are present, and if not, why not? Don’t rule out a company just on face value, go talk to them all - they may just have an opportunity which matches your requirements.
Additional Reading
My World of WorkMy World of World Tutorial: Job FairsMy World of Work: NetworkingRecruitment Fairs – cv-library.co.ukRecruitment FairsGuardian Careers – The Careers BlogHow to get the most out of career fairsCareers Fairs – jobs.ac.ukCareers FairsTop Ten Tips For Taking Advantage of Careers FairsTARGETjobsCareers event tips: what to wear and how to prepareallabout careersHow to Prepare for a Careers FairJob Expo and Career Fair Resources and Tools for Job-Seekers