During The Event

Arriving at the Fair

• Conduct yourself professionally at all times. Recruiters may be watching while you stand in line or move about the fair. Be confident and proactive.
• Orient yourself, walk around and look at exhibits identifying the employers of interest prior to talking to them.
• Listen. You may learn something about the employers or their recruiting strategies by listening to how they interact with others.

Approaching a prospective employer

• As you approach a recruiter/interviewer, respect the privacy of others as they complete their conversation/interview.
• Remember the first seconds determine the recruiter’s impression of you.
• Establish eye contact, greet the recruiter with a firm handshake and introduce yourself.
• Your introduction should lead into your one-minute commercial tying your experience, education, and skills into your enthusiasm for the type of position and prospective employer.

The conversation with a prospective employer

• Take conversational cues from the recruiter.
• Focus on what you can do for the employer, not what you want from them.
• Listen to questions carefully and provide thoughtful responses to what is asked. If you are uncertain of what is asked, clarify the question prior to responding.
• Use transition statements to share relevant information that the recruiter may not have considered. For example, “I had an experience that relates…’’or “May I tell you about…”
• Respond honestly and with a positive perspective. “I have not yet had an opportunity to… but in a similar situation, I …”
• Don’t forget to ask your prepared questions, if they have not been answered.

Ending the conversation with a prospective employer

• Ask about the hiring process, its time lines, and determine if an actual or potential opening exists.
• If you want to pursue a job or internship with a recruiter, ask how you might best follow-up. Be sure you know what to do next (applications and letter of recommendation).
• Ask for the business card of each person with whom you talk, or write down name and contact information of each.
• At the end of the interaction, offer a firm handshake and express your appreciation to the recruiter using the interviewer’s name.
• Walk away with confidence; remember the recruiter may still be watching.

Immediately after talking to a prospective employer

• Go to a quiet area; write down your impressions, notes on topics of conversations, contact names, and follow-up procedures.
• File impressions, business card, and any informational or application materials in the recruiter's information folder.
• Go on to the next recruiter. If there is a line, rather than wasting time waiting, go on to the next one on your list. You can always come back later.
• If you have extra time, explore recruiters not on your planned list.

Following the Job & Internship Fair

• Review the interactions you had with employers. Focus on what went well and what you could improve upon.
• Write a brief thank you letter to the recruiters of the prospective employers in which you are particularly interested. E-mail is acceptable, if you are not sending application materials.
• Maintain a system for following up and reconnecting with employers with whom you are particularly interested. Keep an accurate record of your contacts, including dates of your letters or phone calls, and copies of application materials.
• Follow-up as needed to maintain lines of communication. Within 10 days, make a telephone call to determine if the organization has received your application materials, to check on status of vacant positions, and to express your continued interest.
• Revise your résumé and interviewing approaches using feedback received from the recruiters.