Navigating the Sea of Suits

The spring career fair is coming up next week and it might be beneficial to go, even as freshmen. Although it may seem like chances to land an internship are slim, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised if you take the time to prepare and put in some effort once you get there. Although I personally am not looking for anything at the moment because I plan to take classes this summer, I went to the engineering career fair last week to get a sense of what the future holds. Through some eavesdropping, observation, and personal experimentation, I came away from the event with a few things to keep in mind for when I go again next year. 

Spring career fair at the BJC. Photo courtesy of Greg Grieco.

1. Resumes on Resumes on Resumes

One of the most important things to remember when going to an event like a career fair, is your resume. Not just to have it with you, but to make sure it looks the way you want it to. Everyone I spoke to asked for it, and I'm not going to lie, I was a little bit embarrassed handing it to them. Why? Well, because like a lot of things in my life, I put printing my resume off until the last minute. And once I looked at a printed copy, I realized just how much work it needed. That piece of paper is part of the first impression you make, so it's important to make it count. Take your time when crafting your resume, and make it a good reflection of all you've accomplished. Also, try to do something to make it interesting; something to separate it from the piles of resumes on recruiters' desks. I'm even thinking of pulling an Elle Woods and printing it on pink, scented paper. If she got in to law school with it, maybe I can get a job!

Student await their turn. Photo courtesy of Greg Grieco.

2. Dress Your Best

This is pretty simple to remember. You want to present yourself in the best way, and everyone at the career fair is going to be dressed to impress. You don't want to come under dressed because you will feel out of place, trust me. I definitely felt that way and I was in business casual.

Aside from how good everyone looked, one other thing I noticed is how professional a leather portfolio looks. You need to carry copies of your resume in something, so why not invest in a great accessory? It'll come in handy for years to come.

3. Introductions are Important

I wandered from table to table and did a good bit of eavesdropping before I approached anyone myself. What I gleamed from my observations of the people around me is that it's best to know what you want to say before it's your turn to speak to a recruiter. Being straightforward is a good way to get responses you need and a solid handshake (no dead fish!!!) makes everything official.

4. Take a Moment to Prepare

With so many companies attending the career fair, it can get pretty overwhelming. One thing that I plan to do before I go again, is to check out who's going to be there beforehand and formulate a plan of attack. If you know who you want to see, you can look at the map once you get there and be more efficient that way. The lines of students waiting to talk to companies can get pretty long and no one wants to spend all day walking aimlessly amid a sea of suits.

5. Be Yourself

You're a well rounded individual with accomplishments under your belt already. It's important to remember that when attending the career fair in order to be confident in yourself and your potential. Believe that you'll crush it, and you will.

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