Resumes, companies, the burning sun, oh my! The Viterbi Fall Career Fair happened last week for undergraduate and graduate engineering students. It can be a stressful experience, because your future professional plans can depend on it! On top of that, maneuvering the crowd is like driving in LA – you have to be assertive. To maximize your time at the Career Fair, here are some tips I’ve learned over the years:
1. Photo Credit: Openclipart
Get feedback on your resume – don’t be a procrastinator like me! Viterbi Career Services has tons of workshops and walk-in hours the weeks before (but NOT the week of) the Career Fair. They provide feedback on resume formatting and content. Polish your resume so that recruiters are not distracted by confusing dates or formatting.
2. Be yourself – This may sound cheesy, but it’s true. Let your personality and your strengths stand out. It’s okay to make mistakes it’s human because guess what? The recruiters are human too. If you don’t know what your strengths are, find out! Think about what sets you apart, and when you get your resume reviewed (see # 1) ask what makes it unique. Ask your friends too.
3. Photo credit: Dreamstime
Prioritize – Decide which companies you are most interested in and come up with a game plan to talk to them. Plan for long lines and practice your elevator pitch so you can get it right when it’s finally your turn to pitch it.
Often, you will meet Trojans who have come back to recruit. Luckily, the more you go to these, the stronger your Trojan Family network becomes and soon you will see familiar faces. Building a relationship is what counts so just by going, you’ve made progress!
Published on October 12th, 2015
Last updated on August 29th, 2017