1. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair Presented by the Careers and Graduate Employment Unit Student Services

2. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 Format This workshop will introduce you to: 1.What the Careers Fair is 2.Purpose of the Careers Fair (students) 3.Purpose of the Careers Fair (employers) 4.Preparation (what to expect) 5.How to prepare 6.Sample questions to ask employers 7.At the Careers Fair 8.After the Careers Fair

3. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 1. What the Careers Fair is Provides great opportunities to find out about potential employers and employment opportunities within their organisations Provides a direct way for you to enquire about employer specific recruitment needs and processes Open to all students First year students may want to see what it is all about, penultimate year student may be investigating vacation work or wanting to practice networking skills while final year students may be looking for graduate opportunities

4. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 2. Purpose (students) For students, the Careers Fair is an opportunity to… Create a good first impression and speak to potential employers Understand that the real world is not organised by degree or major Overview of employment opportunities Gain an awareness of the key employers within a particular industry Establish contacts for internships and/or work experience

5. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 3. Purpose (employers) For employers, Careers Fair is an opportunity to: Identify potential employees Increase the company’s profile on campus Increase the number of applicants for recruitment

6. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 4. Preparation (what to expect) Crowded & noisy UQ Centre at times Lines ‘Peaks & troughs’ so have a game plan

7. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 5. How to Prepare Know what you want to get out of the fair Have a ‘game plan’ Check the website to find a list of employers that may interest you http://www.uq.edu.au/careersfair/employer_search.html http://www.uq.edu.au/careersfair/employer_search.html Update your resume in case an employer invites you to send it in Prepare questions to ask

8. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 5. How to Prepare cont Identify and research prospective employers: Obtain the list of organisations attending the fair www.uq.edu.au/careersfair www.uq.edu.au/careersfair Identify the prospective employers that most interest you Learn key facts about each of them including: - organisational structure and breadth - key products/services - organisational culture and values - hiring practices

9. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 5. How to Prepare cont Have a clear career focus

10. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 5. How to Prepare cont Rehearse an Elevator Speech: You are only going to get a very limited amount of time to make an impression on each recruiter Much less so than in a traditional job interview The key for you is to develop and rehearse an elevator speech

11. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 5. How to Prepare cont Example Elevator Speech: Hi, I’m Paul Smith a recent Business graduate here at UQ. I specialised in marketing and have complemented my studies with an internship at Channel 7 Television Studios in Brisbane last year, and I also have extensive work experience at Tourism Queensland, the Brisbane City Council and Deacons Lawyers. I really enjoyed working in these creative environments and found my strength to be in written communications such as media releases (which I have published samples of) and the strategic development of advertising campaigns. This is specifically why I am interested in your organisation. Can you please tell me more about your graduate recruitment program?

12. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 6. Sample Questions to Ask Employers Link to PDF:

13. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 7. At the Careers Fair Obtain a map Take the initiative Ask your well thought-out questions Be considerate Ask for a business card

14. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 7. At the Careers Fair cont Politeness goes a long way: During your meet and greet with the recruiters, always remember your manners; politeness goes a long way in building a lasting positive impression How does politeness manifest itself?

15. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 8. After the Careers Fair Follow up on leads suggested by the employer Send a ‘thank you’ email within 24 hours Highlight parts of the conversation that stood out

16. Getting The Most Out of The Careers Fair December 2009 Time to Get Started If you require further assistance with your Careers Fair preparation, log on to www.careerhub.uq.edu.au and book yourself into one of our many workshops www.careerhub.uq.edu.au Alternatively, you can find us below the Pizza Café, Building 21C – St Lucia campus