We recently attended a careers fair and met with Year 9 & 10 children from Hertfordshire schools. We chatted about a career in Accountancy and how their choices after school or college could impact on them financially. It was a busy fair and well organised by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP) and Broxbourne Council.
Here are our top tips for attending a careers fair:
Tip 1 – Do your Research
Make a list of employers attending and decide who you would like to speak to. Speak with as many different companies and remember that jobs can span all sectors, so don’t rule any out.
Visit the website and social media channels of the businesses attending. Remember that some of the companies that are attending may be hiring. You will stand out if you can talk about something relating to the company that you have seen online.
Tip 2 – Communication is Key
This isn’t a job interview by any stretch but it is still an opportunity for you to stand out to a potential employer. How you present yourself, how you behave and what you say will leave an impression – make it a good one.
Tip 3 – Think about your online presence before you attend the careers fair
If you do not have a LinkedIn presence, create one. Use a smartly dressed image for your profile picture. Make sure the background of your profile picture is tidy or blurred out and fill out all the sections of your profile. Your LinkedIn profile is your online CV and many employers are now looking to LinkedIn to find potential employees, so be present!
Think about the impression you want to give your potential employer, this includes what you are commenting too, not just what your profile says about you. While you are meeting businesses, you can ask to “Link In” with them at the event – growing your business connections through LinkedIn will only be helpful in future.
Tip 4 – Take copies of your CV with you
How often do you get the chance to hand your CV to a potential employer face to face? Chances are if a business is attending a career’s fair then that business recruits regularly – update your CV and take copies along with you. Ask the businesses you meet to keep you in mind, should a position become available. This is a great opportunity to stand out.
Our Marketing Manager Vicki says she would have remembered someone who gave her a CV at a career’s fair as it would have proved that they had thought ahead.
Tip 5 – Follow up after the careers fair
Have as many “positive” conversations with the different businesses attending, keeping a note of who you spoke to and the name of the company. If you didn’t connected on LinkedIn at the careers fair, make sure to connect after. Drop them a message “it was great to meet you at the careers fair, thank you for taking the time to talk with me” is a nice opener. The contact might suggested you send them your CV, do this as quickly if you want to get noticed.
Your next chapter should be an exciting one, so be one step ahead with HB’s “need to know guide” to help you navigate the options ahead and how they will impact on you financially.
Find out which choice might be best for you by scrolling down or downloading our leaflet below;
Good luck on your journey
