“Manners Matter”

A Quick Guide to Career Fair Etiquette and

Preparation

Career Fairs Are Your Opportunity to:

• Network• Bring life to your résumé• Sell yourself to a potential employer• Use your 30-second commercial• Ask specific questions about a company or

position

Career Fairs Are Not:

• A place to socialize • A time to increase your collection of

business cards• Just putting on a suit• Arbitrarily handing out résumés• Finding out “Who’s Hiring?”• Your only job source

Prepare for the Fair

• Check the CMC website for the list of participants

• Research the companies with whom you plan to talk

• Practice your 30-second commercial —in front of a mirror, with a friend, or with CMC staff

• Be well-rested and alert• Look professional:

Avoid loud clothes, wild hair styles, heavy make-up, noisy jewelry

Don’t Leave Home Without It!

• Résumés- Clean and crisp- Conservative font and paper- Business card to attach to each résumé

• Portfolio or clean writing tablet• A quality, professional-looking pen • A confident attitude and pleasant

disposition• A winning smile

Your 30-Second Commercial

• Practice your 30-second commercial in advance• State your name clearly and loudly as you

introduce yourself (to account for the noise level)

• Use a firm handshake to demonstrate confidence

• Leverage your 30-second commercial to showcase your strengths

• Try to use the company name in your introduction or first question

Employers Will Be Watching Your…

• Dress and attire• Body language• Demeanor and attitude• Ability to articulate your goals and

ask/answer questions• Interactions with other students and other

company representatives

Good Ways to Get Noticed

• Research each company you plan to visit• Use the company’s name in questions you ask• Ask open-ended and specific questions• Look and act confident and professional• Consider writing a letter or e-mail to the company

representative in advance, if deemed appropriate• Be courteous and helpful• Introduce other students to recruiters if possible• Be interested in what the company

representative has to say

Bad Ways to Get Noticed

• Wearing less than professional business attire• Arrogance• Not knowing what company you are talking to • Lack of knowledge about the company you are

talking to• Asking only “yes/no” questions• No introduction or 30-second commercial• Attempting to bribe the recruiter• Making derogative statements

No, No, No

• Poor hygiene: body odor, bad breath, dirty fingernails

• Rambling without asking a question• Interrupting a company representative or

another student• Joining a conversation without offering a

handshake, your name and a smile• Leaving a booth without learning something

about the company

Yes, Yes, Yes

• Prepare • Put your best foot forward• Reinforce your interest or desire to

interview with the organization• Thank the company representative • Write a thank you note or e-mail

Remember:

• Preparation is key to success• You are more than just a student looking

for a job• You represent Thunderbird• Manners Matter

You are an ambassador for Thunderbird

and your fellow students