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Have you ever walked into a job fair? I can hear the imperial march from Star Wars (below), as the drones march into the sea of employers. All in black suits (35% pinstripe), blue shirts, and resumes in hand…..
These fairs are a joke.
There are hundreds of students scampering from booth to booth, trying to land interviews and internships. What they mostly receive is brochures and resume exchanges.
These employers are at these fairs because they have the Walmart view on HR: high volume, low margins.
When hunting for your job, my advice is to take the passionate route. Find an industry you like, be different, get involved with it, then present yourself as an admirable candidate. If you insist on attending ‘the march’ here is a list of tactics to NOT be a drone.
1. Don’t look like a drone
A. Don’t wear a black suit
B. Wear Creative tie
C. Have weapons ready (previous post)
2. Look at the list of employers in advance and find ones your interested in
3. Research them
4. Follow them on twitter and facebook
5. Get involved with those companies and let them know you will be attending the fair and want to talk to their HR rep
6. Have questions prepared to ask.
7. Make sure you throw out a few jokes; makes you personable and more memorable
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Comments
07.10.10
Business professional is mandatory at career fairs at school. Most peoples' suits are black. Looking like a corporate drone is highly encouraged by the undergraduate career services office.
07.10.10
Caroline and Dave - I would love to hear your thoughts about that. As Caroline points out, this behavior is actually encouraged. I'm not a business school student, but I have friends who are, and recently a friend shared a story about a companion of hers who took an IB job this summer... simply because he felt he "had" to, although he's much more interested in an unorthodox career.
Are there examples of Dave's mentality working? And why isn't it being more widely encouraged, especially for students who excel at being the exact opposite of "drones"?
07.11.10
Thanks for the comments. The point of this post is to put emphasis on differentiation, not to be unprofessional. The List of examples of how not be a drone are to increase the readers thinking about the topic.
As for an example, My personal experience is attending these fairs and getting no results. The previous year I took a class that advised mr to follow my passions (which may or may not be throw around far too often). So, I took the advise, worked
hard to contact people, and ended up landing a job in marketing at Tour Edge Golf. I love golf, and am interested in marketing; dream job, I think so.
07.11.10
I definitely believe in being unconventional, but I don't think that showing up in a quirky tie at a career fair will really land you a job. Being proactive and talking to people is probably a good route.
07.11.10
I do not have the statistical evidence or expertise to back up this claim fully, but what would make a more lasting impression on you? A black tie, or a (if at U of Iowa) gold tie with a Hawkeye logo. A tie can show enthusiasm, and I think should be considered when choosing your outfit.
07.13.10
You say a lot when you show up with a tie that shows your school pride. It's good to stand out from the crowd and be remembered, but you want to be remembered for the right reason. If the only reason you're remembered is your quirky, school-spirit tie, then that would be a shame. It would work as an attention-getter, but you can't sell yourself based on the packaging alone.
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