It's Job Fair Season.... IPFW students gain interviews!

Our office, IPFW Career Services, recently hosted a job fair with over 50 companies and employers in attendance!

We assisted students and alumni during the days leading up to the job fair with resume preparations, what to wear, and how to introduce themselves at the fair.  They must have listened because many students left with interviews later that day or throughout the next week!  One employer scheduled 15 interviews with students for the following week, while 3 other employers stayed at IPFW after the fair to conduct interviews with students.

For the students/alumni who did not get interviews yet, there are a few possible reasons...

1. You were instructed to complete an on-line application with the company. This may have been frustrating, but your attendance at the job fair was not worthless. These companies expect you to follow through with their instructions and also follow-up with the recruiter by email, letter, or phone. On-line applications are a common practice for many employers, and remember they came to campus for a reason and it was to meet you and hopefully get some leads for potential interviews.
2. You did not dress professionally. Yes, I saw some students with skateboards, large backpacks, jeans/ sweatpants, t-shirts, and the like at the job fair. Not the best first impression when meeting someone who could potentially hire you. But, not all is lost. Don't forget to follow up!
3. You didn't come prepared to network. Part of a job fair is networking and presenting yourself in a professional manner through proper communication. The number one response we heard from employers was, "it's now time to teach the students how to talk to employers." Did you start the conversation with something like, "What do you do?" Probably not the best way to draw the employer into talking with you. Next time try starting with introducing yourself (name, major, year in school, etc.) and then why you're interested in talking to that company. This means you need to research the companies before the day of the fair. But, not all is lost... follow up with the employers you met at the fair to further communicate your interest.

Are you noticing a theme to follow-up with the employers? Well, you did grab business cards, or at least wrote down the recruiters' names, right? If you didn't there is a back-up resource. Come by Career Services, Kettler Hall 109 on IPFW's campus, and inquire about the names of recruiters who attended. We can help get you back on-track. Following up is key to making a good impression, especially if the first one wasn't your best. Write a professional letter or email, or prepare for a professional phone conversation.  Career Services can help with this too!


THERE IS ANOTHER JOB FAIR! Try again on Thursday, April 14th from 1-5pm at Indiana Tech's Andorfer Commons. All local college students and alumni are welcome to attend this job fair, NICE Expo. This fair is focused more towards professional full-time degreed positions and internships. CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF ATTENDING COMPANIES! Don't forget to do your research and come prepared to network!