Tips:
Dress as if you're going for an interview
Have a folder to carry around copies of your résumé and papers from employers
Take advantage of the bag and coat checks
Career fairs are good ways to get networking experience and potentially land a job or internship.
The Cardinal Career Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 in Worthen Arena.
Here are some tips and tricks to make sure you are as successful as possible.
1. Prepare for the interview and make sure you dress professionally
Kyndra Haggard, coordinator of employer relations at the Career Center, said it's important to make sure you are professional at the event. Take advantage of the Career Center's résumé reviews and tips on how to dress like a professional.
2. Go for the experience, especially as a freshman and sophomore
Haggard said it's a good experience to get acclimated with the area and help practice your networking skills.
"[That way], when you do start your internship and full-time job search, you’re already a lot more polished in your networking," she said.
3. Go to coaching sessions at the Career Center
Brandon Bute, associate director for career development at the Career Center, works with career coaches who deliver specific guidance coaching and services to students.
“We interact with hundreds of employers on an annual basis, and we always take the opportunity to ask them, ‘What influences your opinion?’ because we want to give that insider track to students so that they can be more successful,” Bute said.
4. Know what employers want to see in potential employees
Employers at career fairs are looking for students with good résumés, students with knowledge of the company and what it's about, and students who know what they want to do after they graduate.
Bute said he encourages students to talk about their qualifications and interests, and to ask questions about the company but not questions about things that are obviously known, like the location of the company and what products the company provides.
“You shouldn’t go up to an employer and approach them as if ‘So what do you have for me?'" Bute said. "Your job is to go there and sell yourself to them. You’re supposed to present to them why you are a worthwhile investment."
5. Strategize and prioritize which employers you want to talk to
The Ball State Career Fair Plus app provides users with a map of the arena as well as a list of companies that will be in attendance, so plan out who you want to talk to and where they are early.
The fair is only four hours long, so to make the most of those hours, Bute said to have a strategy of who you want to talk to.
“Do a lap around [the arena and] just get a feel for the layout before you even engage with anyone," Bute said. "Identify where the people are that you want to talk to, and then spend some time going and talking to them.”
6. Wait to talk to your top choice until you've already spoken to some other companies
“Don’t start with your highest-priority person, because you’re going to be awkward," Bute said. "You’re going to trip over your words unless you’ve really polished it. Go practice on some employers that maybe aren’t as high on your priority list.”
7. Take advantage of developmental programs
Ankit Patel, a senior accounting and risk management and insurance major, said he wished he had attended the fair as a sophomore because employers will offer developmental programs for emerging sophomores, which makes it easier to land an internship and build contacts.
“[Going to the fair] is a great way to get your name out there and get a small exposure to all the opportunities out there,” Patel said.
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