Tips for Employers
Connecting with Candidates
As a recruiter, you are the face of your company to the attendees. Their interaction with you will determine their impression of your business. The Career Services Office hopes these tips will help you as you plan for the Career and Internship Fair.
Arrival
Arrive early…but not too early. Doors open at noon. As a general rule, it's best to arrive around 11:00 a.m. Do not arrive earlier than 10:00 a.m., as we may be conducting final set up for the event.
When considering arrival time, ask yourself how long will it take to drop your materials off, park, get into the Student Activities Center (SAC) and set up so that you are ready at noon? Add 20 minutes so you have extra time to cope with any unforeseen delay.
Display
Your display should fit on or in front of a six-foot table. The Career and Internship Fair will have a lot of employers and students, so there will not be a lot of room to spread out.
We will have staff on hand to help you move your materials into the SAC. Even so, we encourage you to keep the weight of materials manageable by at most two people.
Consider bringing extra supplies just in case. If you requested electric, an extra extension cord might be helpful. Scissors and tape can be a life saver in a crunch.
Give-aways get students’ attention. T-shirts and bags are very popular items. Individually wrapped candies can also be a draw.
Literature
Bring plenty of business cards and relevant fliers or pamphlets. Job seekers will ask for them. Information about your company, jobs, hiring processes, etc. are ideal for a career fair. As most attendees are technology savvy, providing literature with a link to a web site with such information is another good option (and may reduce your printing cost).
Exhibit Staff
Your display may get people’s attention, but the people from your company will be what ultimately sells attendees on your company. Staff should be knowledgeable about positions available. Friendly, outgoing and patient representatives can leave a lasting positive impression.
Stand in front of your table so there is no barrier between you and the attendees. Students can be intimidated at a fair and being in front of your table makes you seem more welcoming. Also, wearing a name tag helps identify who to approach with questions. Employers who have at least one person staff their table at all times increase their odds of finding outstanding candidates.
We coach students to talk about their academic background and work experience with you. However, having questions about such topics at the ready can help draw such information from a nervous attendee.
Why Job-Seekers Attend
Job-seekers attend career fairs to interact with employers in meaningful ways. They want to learn things they cannot find out online. Interest in employers is enhanced when the company representatives take the time to connect on a personal level.
Be Prepared to Talk to All Students
Many freshmen and sophomores will attend the Career and Internship Fair. Interacting with these students is a long-term investment in your recruiting process. Taking time to explain career opportunities to these students now may produce dividends in the future when the student is seeking their first internship or job. They will remember the employer with whom they connected as a younger student.
Questions from Attendees
Don't wait for visitors to approach you - Be assertive, friendly and sincere.
Ask passers-by friendly, open-ended, yet specific questions such as: "Are you interested a career in finance?" or "Do you want to put your communications skills to work in a great career?" Based on the response, you can separate leads from those who are simply curious.
After the Fair
You will be given a survey to assess your experience at the fair. Please be sure to complete it. The more candid the answers the better able we will be able to improve our next career and internship fair.
Be sure to follow up with visitors who have expressed interest in your company. Employers who follow up with exceptional candidates early and often usually recruit the very best IU South Bend has to offer.