PSGCNJ Events: A Job Fair to Remember

By Carolyn Moody
I woke up Wednesday morning and began my prep work for the job fair the following day. The first task on my to-do list was to choose a suitable outfit. What am I going to wear? I was watching the Today show, and Al Roker was forecasting―buckets of rain and possible flooding for the following day! Hmm, that definitely rules out a dress or skirt, I thought. I’ll go with plan B: a pair of slacks. Black slacks are stylish and slimming at the same time. At this point I began to wonder if the men try on suit after suit, check themselves out in the mirror and whoop for joy when they have made a final choice. Do they ask a partner: Do my shoes look OK with this outfit? Or my favorite: Do I look fat in this? How is pondering this information preparing me for the job fair? It’s not! Procrastination aside, I returned to the task at hand, choosing my ensemble. Nothing in my closet was calling out “Hey, gorgeous,”so a quick trip to the store for some added accessories jazzed up my outfit and remedied the situation. I’m ready to go!
I took a look out the window Thursday morning and saw that Al was right on the money. However, I was not going to let that stop me. After getting dressed and dabbing on perfume, I stocked my purse with my resumes, business cards, water, and Altoids for that fresh, minty breath. I’m ready to go!
Upon my arrival, I was greeted by a room full of smiling, chatty job seekers who had braved the weather to be at the job fair being held at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, N.J. Approximately two hundred people from PSG Somerville, PSG New Brunswick, and the surrounding community networked their way around the conference room, conversing with potential employers, colleagues, and friends. Twenty-nine companies had sent representatives from various industries to ascertain the skills of our highly qualified and talented PSG members. As I worked the room, I had the opportunity to stop at each station and speak with an employee from each company. I wasn’t a good fit for every company, and not every company was a good fit for me, but I was able to practice my thirty-second speech with everyone present and sharpen my technique.
There was an air of electricity in the room as I watched fellow members stand in line to greet a potential employer, hand out business cards, and encourage one another. Despite the rain, in my opinion the job fair was well attended and a rousing success. I applaud every person who came out in the bad weather and put forth the effort. Your excitement and enthusiasm were well received, and potential employers witnessed the eagerness to return to the job market. So, hang in there, gang—your landing may be closer than you think. Are you ready to go?