PREPARING FOR A JOB FAIR--Make this your best 90 seconds.

GOAL:
- Generate employer interest and job interviews by showing how hiring you will be their best choice. You have approximately 90 seconds with each recruiter to do this.

** Reread this goal periodically.**

RESEARCH:
- Do your homework. Find a list of the companies attending, look online or call the organization sponsoring the job fair.
- Find out what they do and the kinds of positions for which they staff.
- Check attending companies' online job postings.
- Create a list of the companies whose tables you want to visit and rank them 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices to ensure you hit your top choices before the fair ends.

ATTIRE:
- Be dressed for an on-the-spot interview—this is your first impression.
- Know the expected attire of your ideal job and dress one level better. It is seldom a bad thing to be overdressed and always a bad thing to be underdressed. Dress for the job you want.
- Appropriate: conservative business suits, dress shoes, dress socks or hosiery, tie, skirt hems within 2” above the knee or longer, conservative accessories, clean and tidy nails, hair and grooming.
- Inappropriate: denim, shorts, leggings, t-shirts, golf shirts, clogs, sandals, flip-flops, sneakers, glitter/rhinestones, hipster pants, low-slung pants, visible tattoos or piercings, low cut shirts—no cleavage, visible underwear.

WHAT TO BRING:
- Copies of your resume, at least 2 for each company in which you’re interested.
- Business cards, pen, notepad, folder for resumes, a briefcase or large flat plain tote for your resume folder and any pamphlets or items you may given by recruiters.
- Comb, travel-size hairspray, breath strips or spray, lipstick/chapstick, hand cream.

CONDUCT:
- This IS your first impression. SMILE! Be professional and friendly. Make eye contact but don’t stare. Have a firm, not crushing, handshake. Show enthusiasm for the job you want.
- Read over your resume beforehand, so you can speak easily about your skills and work history without sounding rehearsed. Be aware of your grammar, diction and manners.
- If the table has some giveaways, as are common, you may be told to help yourself. Take only ONE, even if it’s just candy, and don’t forget to say thank you.
- No chewing gum or eating anything—ever. Breath strips or sprays are a good option as they melt away instantly.
- Turn cell phones off and check messages later; never answer your phone in front of recruiters.

SPEAKING TO RECRUITERS:
- When speaking to recruiters, be brief, concise and pleasant. They have a lot of people to meet.
- Introduce yourself, ask questions about their company, discuss the kind of job you’re seeking and the field you’re focused on.
- Cover your key skills, their current job openings or typical positions they are often staffing.
- Ask for their business card to follow up or email them a copy of your resume.

CRITICAL REMINDER:
- If you are speaking to a recruiter, they are interviewing you--whether on the phone, by email, at a job fair or a booked appointment. Be your best. Make it your best 90 seconds.