HELPFUL TIPS: MARCH 14th Job Fair Etiquette: Putting Your Best Foot Forward

By Sonia Vera
PSGCNJ’s Job Fair is scheduled for March 14^th at Raritan Valley Community College. REGISTER NOW at:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHQ4LXItcHBCeW9BTmNHS3dEcG9KaFE6MA
Want to bring your “A” Game to the Job Fair? Attend the March 12^th General Meeting training session where we’ll answer questions and do role playing.
As a helpful guide, remember these basic Do’s and Don’ts:
DO – Dress to reflect your career goals. Business casual is acceptable.
DO – Bring plenty of resumes and business cards. Don’t underestimate smaller companies; they may have the ideal opening for you.
DO – Prepare a cover letter for the job titles you have already researched.
DO – Manage your time. Modify your elevator pitch for each recruiter. Ask three to five questions about the position, company or trends in your area of interest.
DO – Smile! Take a few deep breaths. Relax before speaking. Make eye contact.
DON’T – Appear greedy by grabbing a bunch of pens, pads or other freebies.
DON’T – Leave until you are confident five employers will want to receive your call.
DON’T – Forget to ask for a name of someone else they think you should contact.
DON’T – Waste time standing in lines where the business has marginal interest in your background.
DON’T – Overlook this opportunity for meeting, greeting and networking with others.
DON’T – Forget to prepare some basic questions to determine your best fit, the recruiter’s hiring process, the company culture and any other aspects of the job hunt vital towards landing. Here are some examples:

• What kinds of skills and experience do you look for in the employees you hire?
• What are the characteristics of your most successful employees?
• Which courses/experiences do you recommend to make me a good candidate?
• Does your company hire on a continual basis or just at certain times of the year?
• How long does the hiring process take? What does it consist of?
• What percent of applicants are eventually hired? What is the retention rate?
• What is your organization’s culture like?
• For how many years does the typical employee stay with the company?
• Are there opportunities for ongoing training through your organization?
• Do you expect your employees to relocate? How much travel is involved?
• What made you choose this company and why do you stay?
• How long have you been with the company?
• What’s the one thing that most surprised you about this company?

Lastly, don’t forget to write thank you notes to the recruiters. These notes are always welcomed and help you to be remembered. Little touches make a big difference.