Be Prepared

By Danielle Birchard

I’ve been to many tradeshows and job fairs, both as a student, and now, as an employer. As a college student, job fairs were exciting but also horrifying. You were trying to sell yourself to professionals that had been listening to other unexperienced students’ pitches all day long. How were you going to stand apart? How were you even going to muster up the courage to say the right words that accurately depict your experience, or lack thereof, in just a few seconds.

I can now speak from the other side of the fence. I am now the one listening to pitches, the one who college students shake in front of while trying to explain what they are looking for in their future. Here are a few things I’ve noticed.

It is ok to be nervous when speaking with a potential employer. We expect it. And believe it or not, we want you to succeed. We want to learn all about your aspirations and experience and dreams, that is a huge part of why we are there. Employers are looking for people that have the skills they need, both hard and soft. And we also are looking for passion, someone who will fit in well with our team and mission. So be open, be excited, even if that comes with nerves. Sell yourself and all that comes with you.

Doing a little work ahead of time can set you far ahead of the competition. Recruiters can tell when they are being approached by someone who is unprepared. Informing us that you have looked into our company and then proving it will win you points. And sometimes students come to job fairs having no idea what they are looking for. That’s ok, too. You can still research the companies attending the event ahead of time so that you can speak with recruiters intelligently. If you have a basic understanding of the company before you speak with them, that will make you stick out.

Practice what you are going to say. This makes a difference. Even if you think you are good at speaking on the fly, practicing your elevator pitch one more time will never hurt. Employers aren’t looking for perfection at entry-level, but we are looking for effort. Arrive at the event prepared with clean copies of your resume. Come and speak with your company-of-interest with a gameplan. Take time to think and answer our questions clearly and succinctly. Know that you have a lot to offer, if not to this company, then to another.

I can’t overemphasize the importance of putting in just a little more effort. It is more obvious than you realize. That extra five minutes you spent researching a company could lead to an interview or even a career.