questions to ask at a career fair

Attending a job fair could be intimidating – a maze of booths, stacks of resumes, and lengthy lines of college students in blazers all looking to get employed. As soon as you do reach leading of the collection, you usually forget to inquire the queries you designed to ask, correct? Well, here’s an useful set of queries to consider with you (print this and utilize it as a cheat sheet!). Pick from the pursuing to be sure you don’t miss anything essential when speaking with recruiters.

1. WHAT Will YOUR COMPANY DO?

Seems like a little of a no-brainer, but it’s an excellent starting point. For just about any company you’re seriously interested in, research your facts beforehand. If you’ve carried out your research, ask rather, “Tell me in regards to a recent task your company is focusing on.” Nevertheless, if it’s an organization you haven’t researched, don’t experience intimidated. When I visited the Stroud booth within my career reasonable, I hadn’t actually heard about them, yet I finished up operating there. Don’t let too little prior research quit you from an incredible opportunity!

Also, after the employee finishes answering this question, be ready for them to request you to inform them about yourself. Have got an elevator pitch (60 seconds or much less) prepared. Ensure that your elevator pitch gets the recruiter interested (here’s how), and make an effort to tailor your pitch to relate with the company’s work when possible. 

2. WHAT WOULD I BE DOING?

Individual from what the business does, you might like to know very well what your functions and responsibilities will be. What does an average week appear like? What forms of positions would they suggest for someone together with your skills, passions and experience?

3. WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED PART ABOUT Functioning AT YOUR COMPANY? WHAT’S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?

This is an excellent gauge showing how passionate the individual you’re talking to is approximately the business. If their eye light up plus they get thrilled when you inquire further what a common part is, they’re most likely happy to become there. If not, requesting about their least preferred part is a great gauge of what things to appear out for. In any event, no company is ideal, so it’s great to understand what to expect.

Also, people who just have positive what to say about their organization likely are sugar-coating their experience.

4. WHAT SURPRISED YOU THE Many ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?

While not essential to obtain a general knowledge of the company accessible, this query is a good follow-up to query 3 and really helps to create a rapport with the recruiter. It’s also a far more unusual question and can help you stick out.

5. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO WORK HERE?

This gives them an opportunity to pitch the aspects that (ideally) made them fall deeply in love with the business. Do these factors align together with your job preferences?

6. HOW Good DOES YOUR COMPANY MATCH MY JOB PREFERENCES?

It really is generally recommended to enquire about aspects such as for example upward mobility, tradition, and/or training applications. But what you don’t value? Training programs might not matter for you, but quick personal advancement might. Is everything you treatment about most the proper location, hands-on function, or business structure? Prior to the career fair, find out what issues most for you by asking queries about your task preferences. After that ask each business about those key choices.

7. WHAT Features AND EDUCATIONAL History ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR IN AN APPLICANT?

This question can help provide you with a leg up in the interview process. Perform they prefer applicants with an enthusiasm for learning and development? If therefore, expect them to enquire about that in the interview. Does the business value strong communication abilities? Prepare good examples demonstrating your communication abilities.

8. WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE OF OTHERS IN YOUR INDUSTRY?

While career fairs may feel like a means for companies to weed through as much students as feasible to choose their favorites, understand that you’re doing the same. Let’s consider consulting, for instance. If you were thinking about consulting, you’ll likely explore a number of different companies while at the profession fair. Studying which firms use which types of customers and projects might help you to determine which companies may curiosity you a lot more than others. Understand that even in an industry, companies may differ wildly within their makeup, kind of work, mission and ideals, strategy, etc.

9. WHAT’S YOUR HIRING Procedure? WHEN ARE INTERVIEWS?

That is more of a logistics question. It’s a means of asking when you’re able to anticipate to hear from their website. If their interview dates move and you haven’t received a reply to your follow-up email, you understand to focus elsewhere. Understanding when interviews are occurring also tells you how much period you need to prepare. Often, firm recruiters visiting a profession fair from further aside will remain after the reasonable for some days and conduct almost all their interviews before time for their company therefore you may want to join one the very next day!

10. MAY I LEAVE YOU MY RESUME? HAVE YOU GOT A BUSINESS CARD?

At the end of each conversation with a recruiter, always offer them your resume. Furthermore, make sure you gather their business cards so that you can send a thank-you/follow-up email within 48 hours. 

Some Final Guidance: Tailor the queries you ask to your job interests and goals. Don’t ask questions simply for the sake of requesting questions. Make certain it’s information that you’ll require. Also, stay away from asking queries that are answered in the business’s annual report or work brochure. Recruiters recognize when homework is not completed.