How to Successfully Maneuver a Job Fair

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Job fairs can be intimidating. They're big, they're typically held at arenas or hotels, they're crowded, and you don't get much of an opportunity to speak with companies because there's usually a long line of other candidates waiting behind you for their turn.

Yep, it's a meat market. But you can successfully navigate a job fair to your advantage. You just need to be strategic in how you manage it.

First of all, who are those people standing around in the booth, representing the company? Here are the players:

• The Corporate Recruiter / Human Resources Representative. More often than not, the HR guy / gal planned the company's presence at the job fair. They've been up all night putting the display together and making sure the hiring managers who were supposed to be there actually are there. Their primary motivations are filling open jobs, and going the hell home.
• The Top Performer. Companies usually like to have their a-list employees at the career fairs, because it reflects well upon the company. Particularly popular at college fairs. I mean, why would they invite...
• The Poor Performer. Yes, you read that right - often a company will designate a bottom performer as the individual to go to the career fair. Why? Why would they do that? Because they won't be missed in the office - if their performance isn't great, how much more harm can it do to have them out of work for the day? Not that the job seekers being judged have any idea that this is happening.
• The Happy Alumnus. When it comes to college fairs, employers love to send their alumni, and the alumni usually love to get a free trip back to campus. When I worked at Motorola, we employed a substantial number of University of Florida graduates. They would have gladly had a knife fight to decide the winner, and thus who went to Gainesville. It makes sense - proud alumni are enamored of their alma mater, and they're going to be highly engaged.
• Selected At Random. Yup, they needed a warm body, and this individual didn't have any pressing business.

Now you know the players. How do you effectively stand out at a job fair?

1. Start early. Job fairs start quiet then build to a roar as the day gets going. If you have the ability to arrive when the fair opens, you have a better chance at shorter lines. You also get fresher company reps, who haven't talked themselves raw. You may get the opportunity for a more in-depth conversation.
2. Dress for success. Wear a suit. A nice suit. This is your first impression with a company. If you're coming from work, and they have a business casual dress code, change into that suite before going into the job fair. It makes a difference.
3. Have a plan of attack. Job fair organizers will often publish a list of exhibitors prior to the event. Decide upon your must-visit employers and see them first. Then canvas the rest of the fair.
4. Print your resumes on nice stationery. A bonded linen paper looks far nicer than your glossy white copy paper. It shows you care.
5. Have targeted cover letters for your key employers. This is a nice little touch that can make a big difference. If you know that you will be visiting Company X at the job fair, have a customized cover letter for that employer.
6. Polish your elevator pitch. This is the first thing you say after introducing yourself - 30 seconds about who you are and what type of position you're looking for. A snappy intro will help generate interest.
7. Watch for the cues that your time is up. Interviewers want to be nice, but they may be trying to signal that they need to get to the next person. If it feels like you've overstayed your welcome, you probably have. Thank them for their time, and move on to your next exhibitor.
8. Send thank you notes. If you obtained the interviewer's contact information, a brief email to them after the fair thanking them for their time along with a soft copy of your resume will reinforce your interest.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Fill that Hole in your Resume!

Candidates often find themselves between jobs. Layoffs, family leave, or whatever the reason. Thus, it’s not unusual for job seekers to have what’s known as a "hole" on their resume, or a “gap” in employment.

In employers’ terms, that time is unaccounted. Without proper context, an employer might imagine that you’re spending your time on the couch eating bonbons and watching Roseanne reruns.

The point here is not to advise you how to hide such gaps on your resume. Rather, how do you really use that time effectively so that you don't have a hole?

Okay, let’s paint a picture.

You and your employer have parted ways, leaving you unemployed.

Yes, it sucks. You’ve indulged in the obligatory week of self-pity and doubt.

Now, shake it off! We’re going to make some lemonade out of these lemons.

You now have an abundance of a resource which was in seriously short supply. I refer to time.

Here are some suggestions on ways you can close that pending gap on your resume, by keeping busy with meaningful activities. Fill the hole!

• Assuming you know what type of position you would like pursue, devote a standing portion of every day to your job hunt. Block the time on your calendar when you will check job listings, apply to jobs, send out resumes, visit an outplacement center (assuming your prior employer gave you that benefit). Routine will reinforce in your mind that searching for a job is a job in itself. Consider dressing in business attire to put yourself in the mindset.

• Find temporary, part-time work to keep busy. A few years ago, I left a recruitment position without another job in hand (the position and I were a poor fit for each other). Through my network, I came across a part-time opportunity with a staffing firm. We were able to come to an arrangement where I was able to work a flexible schedule. They allowed me to interview for full-time jobs on an as-needed basis, and at the same time, I kept my skills sharp. Plus, after taking the ego hit of being unemployed, I was able to rebuild my confidence and demonstrate to potential employers that my skills and I were still in demand.

• Volunteer. Do you have a favorite cause? Skills you can share? Consider volunteering with a charitable cause close to your heart. In the nonprofit world, dollars are tight – and giving freely of your time a few hours a week can ease a substantial burden. A benefit in addition to adding some karma to your account, is that you can pick and choose the work you wish to contribute. Are you an accountant, and your church could use some help installing QuickBooks? Or does the local food pantry need help boxing meals? Or can you provide extra assistance in some other area of your expertise?

Obviously, if the hole in your résumé is in your past, try to think back of how you spent that time. If you used it working in an unrelated field or volunteering, account for that time on your résumé as such.

Oh - in case you were wondering, full-time parenting counts as work. Take your credit where it's due.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

I Can't Wait To Show Off My New Tattoo At The Job Interview!

Tattooos

Tattoos are becoming more prevalent. Once the domain of the few, body art has gone mainstream. Even grandma has a heart inked onto her bottom. People want to express themselves in a way that accentuates their uniqueness and creativity.

Employers don't necessarily want to stifle individuality. But the truth is that tattoos presents a conundrum for employers. They don't necessarily want to stifle individuality, but they have a certain level of decorum they want to maintain.

And a tattoo isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn't exactly fit within the traditional dress code guidelines companies have established, either.

Then there's the matter of what the tattoos depict. A tattoo featuring naked people might be more objectionable than a simple tattoo that says, "Mom."

Companies can legally decide not to hire a candidate if they feel that an applicant is showing too much ink, or if the subject matter is inappropriate or offensive. In addition, if the role has customer-facing responsibilities, the employer may not wish to place somebody with visible tattoos in such a role.

I realize that those of you with tattoos might find this annoying, or even offensive. But it's true. What (and where) you decide to display on your body makes an impression. So, what do you do if you have a passion for ink, but need to apply for a job?

• Know the culture of where you're interviewing. Some companies may not care. Edgy bars, restaurants and boutiques may view having tats as an asset. Startup tech companies may have no dress code at all and not care a whit about appearance. On the other hand, a stiff-shirt major consultancy with constant client interaction probably won't want to know that you've got a tattoo.
• Cover up during the interview. If you've decorated your arms, make sure you wear long sleeves. If you have tattoos on your upper chest, wear a fully-covering shirt and jacket. Try to make the interviewers focus on you as a candidate, so they don't get distracted and potentially turned off by the tattoos.
• Once you're hired, observe what everybody else does and follow suit. If the employees wear short sleeves and show off arm tattoos, it's probably safe for you to do the same. Follow the lead of your peers.
• Think twice before getting that tattoo somewhere on your body you can't cover it up. I'm all about personal expression, but every decision a person makes has consequences, and this is no exception. Tattoos up the neck and onto the face, or on the hands, are near impossible to cover tactfully. Once you've made the decision to place ink somewhere you can't hide it, you - rightly or not - may have limited your career options. It may not be fair, but it's reality.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. He is a Human Resources professional and staffing expert with almost two decades of in-house corporate HR and staffing firm experience, and is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).

Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.