Organizations send representatives to Career Expos and Fairs for a number of reasons.
A primary reason is to assess the quality and diversity of the student body. Thus,
companies can determine the potential effectiveness of recruiting on a campus. These
events are a way for companies to meet with students to evaluate the academic and
personal qualifications of a large number of potential candidates in a relatively
short period of time.
Very seldom will a hiring decision be made solely on this initial meeting. A successful
career fair experience can confirm the importance of returning to the campus for
the next step in the recruitment process, the on campus or screening interview.
For students, this offers an opportunity to learn more about a specific company
or industry. Frequently, company representatives at Expos are also the individuals
conducting on-campus interviews. Students who have met their interviewers at a fair
and perhaps, also at a company presentation, enter the screening interview armed
with enhanced self-confidence: they have a larger accumulation of company knowledge
and greater ease with employers, with whom they have met on one or two prior occasions.
. Don't hesitate in your approach! Take
the initiative and introduce yourself. Walking up and introducing yourself to a
recruiter may be uncomfortable, and you may feel awkward and unsure about how to
begin a conversation. However, recognize that, as in any new situation, first impressions
begin with the moment you approach an employer. Make that moment count!
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