Mastering Career Fair Etiquette: Your Guide to Success

1. “Manners Matter” A Quick Guide to Career Fair Etiquette and Preparation

2. Career Fairs Are Your Opportunity to: • Network • Bring life to your résumé • Sell yourself to a potential employer • Use your 30-second commercial • Ask specific questions about a company or position

3. Career Fairs Are Not: • A place to socialize • A time to increase your collection of business cards • Just putting on a suit • Arbitrarily handing out résumés • Finding out “Who’s Hiring?” • Your only job source

4. Prepare for the Fair • Check the CMC website for the list of participants • Research the companies with whom you plan to talk • Practice your 30-second commercial — in front of a mirror, with a friend, or with CMC staff • Be well-rested and alert • Look professional: Avoid loud clothes, wild hair styles, heavy make-up, noisy jewelry

5. Don’t Leave Home Without It! • Résumés - Clean and crisp - Conservative font and paper - Business card to attach to each résumé • Portfolio or clean writing tablet • A quality, professional-looking pen • A confident attitude and pleasant disposition • A winning smile

6. Your 30-Second Commercial • Practice your 30-second commercial in advance • State your name clearly and loudly as you introduce yourself (to account for the noise level) • Use a firm handshake to demonstrate confidence • Leverage your 30-second commercial to showcase your strengths • Try to use the company name in your introduction or first question

7. Employers Will Be Watching Your… • Dress and attire • Body language • Demeanor and attitude • Ability to articulate your goals and ask/answer questions • Interactions with other students and other company representatives

8. Good Ways to Get Noticed • Research each company you plan to visit • Use the company’s name in questions you ask • Ask open-ended and specific questions • Look and act confident and professional • Consider writing a letter or e-mail to the company representative in advance, if deemed appropriate • Be courteous and helpful • Introduce other students to recruiters if possible • Be interested in what the company representative has to say

9. Bad Ways to Get Noticed • Wearing less than professional business attire • Arrogance • Not knowing what company you are talking to • Lack of knowledge about the company you are talking to • Asking only “yes/no” questions • No introduction or 30-second commercial • Attempting to bribe the recruiter • Making derogative statements

10. No, No, No • Poor hygiene: body odor, bad breath, dirty fingernails • Rambling without asking a question • Interrupting a company representative or another student • Joining a conversation without offering a handshake, your name and a smile • Leaving a booth without learning something about the company

11. Yes, Yes, Yes • Prepare • Put your best foot forward • Reinforce your interest or desire to interview with the organization • Thank the company representative • Write a thank you note or e-mail

12. Remember: • Preparation is key to success • You are more than just a student looking for a job • You represent Thunderbird • Manners Matter You are an ambassador for Thunderbird and your fellow students