September 9, 2020 Once you’ve registered for Career Fair and created your schedule by signing up for Group and One-on-One sessions with employers, it’s time to start preparing in advance to set yourself up for success the day of the Fair. Before your first session, we recommend you put in a bit of time and effort to complete the tasks below. Review and Update your Charger Path Profile as well as your resume. You wouldn’t go to an in person Career Fair without a resume and the same is true for a virtual fair. You’ll want your profile and resume to be public to employers as well so they can see this information. Employers will likely review your profile and resume before they meet with you, so it’s important that your information is complete and accurate. Practice your Elevator Pitch. While the days of elevator networking are on hold in the pandemic, an elevator pitch still remains as important as ever. Take some time to practice your short overview of yourself, including your academic and professional background as well as your goals. One-on-one sessions are about 10 minutes long, so you’ll want to aim for 30-60 seconds for your elevator pitch, depending upon your level of relevant experience. Do your Research. Virtual Career Fairs are not blind dates! Take the time to get to know the company following the tips we’ve shared. Check out the company’s active job postings on Charger Path and their website---if you see something you’re interested in and qualified for--apply in advance. This will impress recruiters and show that you are serious about employment with their company. After you’ve done your research and applied to positions, create some questions you want to ask the employer that aren’t ‘google-able.’ You can have these written down and available to you during your sessions. Practice! An employer will be able to tell the difference between a candidate who has prepared for the interview and one who has not. Record yourself answering mock interview questions and watch your recording. Schedule a Mock Interview Appointment with Career Services or ask a friend or family member to help you practice. Make sure you are maintaining ‘eye contact’ throughout the interview by looking into the camera. Another part of practice is ensuring that your equipment is working and your space is distraction free. Taking the time to run through these 4 tasks can have huge returns the day of Career Fair. We’re here to help; appointments can be made through Charger Path or you can attend any of our Virtual Workshops, starting September 14 and leading up to Career Fair. (Link is accessible with a UAH gmail account and full details can be found in the Events section of Charger Path.
