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	Making the most of Careers Fairs and Employer Presentations Careers Fairs Fairs are strange events… often resembling the opening hours of a sale. Don’t panic, yes it will be busy but if you do a little bit of preparation before the event you won’t get lost in the crowd. Careers fairs are what you make them - the more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. Careers Fair Preparation 1. Pick up a programme for further details and a map of the event from the Careers Service in advance or check the Fairs page via the web. 2. Research companies/organisations that you are interested in through their web sites or have a look at the information available in the Blue section of the Information Rooms. 3. You might like to prepare a copy of your CV. If you need help with this you can attend one of our CV workshops, check out the information available on CVs & Applications and you can see a Careers Adviser for advice on your final draft. 4. Think of questions you might like to ask the exhibitors, e.g: Type of company / company culture / nature of the work?             What kind of graduate positions do they offer?          How many graduates are they looking for?       Do they offer work experience placements? If so, what happens on a typical placement? Are opportunities offered locally or worldwide?       What is their policy on employing people with disabilities?    What would the firm’s opinion be if you were to take a year out? Can you apply for deferred entry? Can you ring the HR department (and who?) if you have further questions after today? And / or ask to speak to recent recruits about their experiences? What sort of things could you do to increase your chances of getting into the firm / organisation (e.g. work experience, extra- curricular activities?) How do you apply?    What selection methods are used? Do they offer career development opportunities: training offered, opportunity to work towards professional qualifications? At the event Identify the location of employers you want to speak to, wait until the stand isn't too busy and make a natural approach. They will be glad to talk to you, that is what they are there for! Make a good impression on employers, dress smart but casual, be courteous and show your enthusiasm and motivation. Sell yourself! Be able to talk knowledgeably about your degree, the projects you're currently working on and your future goals in terms of completing the course and your career path. Highlight the skills you could offer the employer and provide a copy of your CV. Before you leave a stand, make a note of the person you talked to - it will give you a contact to follow up later. After the Event   Don’t waste the valuable information you have just collected. Perhaps you could make some brief notes about what you felt about the employers you spoke with. You could make a list of pros & cons. Think about what kind of companies/organisations attracted you most. Are there similar companies out there which didn’t attend the Fair, but who might be worth finding out a bit more about, to widen your options? Remember the details you took down about the person you spoke to? Why not write a brief note thanking them for their time, advice and information? If they said to send a CV, then do it.  Back to Making the Most of Networking Opportunities
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