The Spring Teacher Job Fair is coming Thursday, April 4 at 9 am. Are you ready?
Here are 10 ways that you can help maximize your job fair experience:
1.
Know
before you go! Create a “game plan”
for the job fair – Find out which employers will be participating, and make a
list of the ones you want to meet.
2.
Dress for
Success! Dress as you would for an interview (No jeans,
tank tops, or shorts!) You can find some
more guidelines about job fair attire here: http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/getting-started/how-to-dress-for-job-fairs/article.aspx
3.
Bring your
resume. Is your resume up to date? Don’t forget to bring enough copies!
4.
Ask
questions. Prepare some questions in
advance, and don’t be shy about asking them!
5.
Practice
your “elevator speech.” What’s an
elevator speech? Imagine that you’re in
an elevator with a potential employer and you only have 30 seconds to tell him
or her about yourself and your qualifications.
What would you say?
6.
Network,
network, network! A job fair is the
perfect opportunity to meet your future employer. It’s all about tapping into the hidden job
market – discovering the 90% of jobs that are never posted.
7.
Remember
to follow up. Once you’ve made that
initial connection, be sure to let them know you appreciated their time and
information. Be sure to send a quick
“thank you” letter, email or phone call.
8.
Go early!
Don’t wait to graduate before attending
the Teacher Job Fair. Learn who’s
hiring, what they’re looking for in a teaching candidate. It’s the perfect opportunity to make your
presence known.
9.
Compile a
career portfolio. You can include
letters of recommendation, awards, special projects, or virtually anything that
documents your achievements and abilities.
10. Schedule an appointment with Career
Services. Are you still unsure about
how to approach the job fair? Need to
brush up on your resume writing skills? Is
your elevator speech a bit rusty? Contact Career Services today to schedule an appointment with a career counselor or submit your resume for a 48-hour resume critique.
Along with Career Services representatives, College of
Education advisors will be on-hand to answer any questions you might have. We hope to see you there!
