Tips For A Successful Career Fair

Alverno will host its Fall 2011 Career Fair on Wednesday, October 19th from 11:30am-2pm in the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center (TLTC). The Career Fair provides students and recent alumnae with the opportunity to meet employers currently hiring for jobs (part-time/full-time) and internships. Getting face-time with potential employers is an important part of the job/internship search process, and it's essential to create a positive and lasting impression. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of the Fall Career Fair and make a strong impression:

• Come prepared. Before the fair, review the list of attending employers at alverno.edu/career and identify the companies with whom you want to connect. Spend time researching these companies so that you can ask focused and specific questions.
• Dress Appropriately. First impressions are important, so dress professionally. If possible, wear a suit. If you don’t have one, dress slacks and a dress shirt are appropriate. Avoid wearing jeans, sweats, t-shirts, and athletic shoes. Demonstrate your respect for yourself as a burgeoning professional.
• Bring Copies of Your Resume to submit to employers. Not all employers will accept your resume at the fair, but it is best to be prepared. If you’ve never written a resume or you’d like to improve your existing one, schedule an appointment in the Career Education Center by calling (414) 382-6010. Resume Critique walk-in hours are also available Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00 – 6:00 pm, and WEC Saturdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm in the Career Education Center (LA 125).
• Allow Yourself Adequate Time. Come as early as possible. Typically, fairs are less crowded in the early hours, and are busiest during the lunch hour and at the end. In addition, many other students may be interested in the same employers as you, so assume that you will need to wait to speak with some employers.
• Get Your Bearings. When you arrive, take a few minutes to review the directory for the fair. You can increase your comfort level if you locate and walk by the employers with whom you’re most interested.
• Practice Introducing Yourself. Prepare a short “commercial” that you can use as you introduce yourself to recruiters. Use the Eight Abilities as a framework to articulate your accomplishments.
• Take Notes when you inquire about next steps and the possibility of talking with additional managers. The recruiter at the fair may not be able to answer all of your questions, so write down the names and contact information of other staff in the organization, who you can contact later.
• Ask the Recruiter for His/Her Business Card, and send a thank-you note or email within 24 hours of the fair. Having the business card of the recruiter will provide you with a contact at the organization, including the proper spelling of the recruiter’s name and direct contact information. Sending a thank-you note acknowledges the time and information the recruiter gave you, and is a mature and professional habit to develop.
• Be Courteous! In addition to representing yourself, you’re also representing Alverno College.

Email Communication Etiquette

As a college student, you are developing and demonstrating professional skills and behaviors that you will use to be successful in the "real world," after graduation. One important skill that you can practice now is professional email etiquette, which is important to ensure that:  1) you are effectively communicating, and 2) you are protecting your professional reputation. When emailing instructors, classmates and members in the community, make sure to do the following:

• Fill in the subject line with a clear statement of the purpose for your e-mail.  “Help,” “My assignment,” or “Class 2” are weak subject headers.
• Always begin an email by addressing its recipient (“Dr. Reed,” “Sr. Celestine,” or “Tom”)
• Remind the recipient who you are and how you know each other (“I am a student in Section 4 of your PPS-129 class on Thursday afternoons”)
• Write your message in complete sentences with proper spelling and grammar.  Do not use texting abbreviations, such a TIA or PLMK, because your reader may not be able to interpret these.
• If you need a response to your email, say so in the text. 
• Problem solve. If you are emailing about a missed class, late homework, difficulty with course content, etc., state what you have done/will do, and what you are seeking from the faculty. 

              Poor:   “I am not going to be in class tonight.  
                         Let me know what I need to do to make up for missing class.”

              Better:  “I am ill and unable to attend class tonight. I will post the assignment 
                         that is due via Moodle and call you next week to discuss the 
                         information I missed.”

• Close your message with your full name and a phone number. Your instructor may have more than one Jenny in class.
• Give faculty/staff at least 24 hours to respond. Teaching schedules, committee activities, student meetings, research and a variety of other duties take people away from their computers for large parts of the work day. DO NOT send emails saying “I sent you an email this morning and haven’t heard from you.”