What Do Recruiters Expect From You At A Career Fair?
By Rebecca Walton, GEICO College Recruiter
The moment you step into a career fair, you are in the spotlight. Your appearance and your behaviors are being carefully observed and evaluated. As a college recruiter for GEICO, I expect professionalism, appropriate attire, a well-written resume, eye contact, a firm handshake, a great attitude and a job candidate who is well prepared. Your first impression is definitely a lasting one, so make it count.
Recruiting tip number one: Do your homework.
Do your homework before coming to the career fair. You need to put in the time and effort it takes to know about the companies that you would like to speak with. Make sure you are well informed and articulate about the position or positions you want to apply for, the specific positions that the company is hiring for, and the type of responsibilities you are looking for in a company.
Be sure to go onto the company’s Web site, search the Internet for added information, and speak to your school’s career services about your target companies. If you know the companies you want to apply to, bring a resume tailored to that company and its job offerings.
Recruiting tip number two: Practice your introduction.
At a career event, recruiters may not have the time to speak to you at great length. Make the most of your time by clearly introducing yourself to the company recruiters. Put together a quick introduction of your skills, experience, and what you can offer the company. Practice your introduction aloud before you get there. Practice again. It is always impressive when a potential candidate comes to a career booth who is well prepared, confident talking about their experience, and asks well thought out questions.
Recruiting tip number three: Remember the little things.
· If you really want to work for a company, be sure to ask the recruiters for their business cards.
· Make plenty of copies of your resume. It’s wise to have tailored resumes for specific jobs and companies, and you also need a basic resume for new companies that catch your attention.
· If you have not heard anything from the company you are interested in after one week, politely follow up with the college recruiter via e-mail or telephone.
We invite you to come to GEICO’s booth at the next career event. We would love to speak with you about our internship positions and the many opportunities that we have. GEICO has a lot to offer you. http://careers.geico.com/
* Be sure to visit the GEICO booth at Career Expo on February 20th in the North Ballroom*
