Getting to the Hot Seat: Setting Yourself Apart at Career Fairs

We all know that career fairs serve as an opportunity for you to find that dream job you are looking for. On the other hand, you may find it hard to get in for an interview after introducing yourself to a number of employers. The aim in this blog is to introduce career-oriented individuals like yourself to four steps to increase your chance of getting signed up for an interview, and ultimately to get the offer letter in the mail.

Step 1: Bring Passion & Energy

Upon your entrance to a career fair, it is vital to set yourself apart by being aware of your body language and energy. Having a good attitude and being able to transfer this to an employer will certainly lend a hand. Often times, recruiters see job seekers walking around without a smile, shoulders shrugged as if they forgot what it means to have excitement. By having a positive mindset and a smile, your aptitude to impress the employers of your choosing enables you to be one step closer to the metaphorical “hot seat”. However, having the correct body language and energy is not all you need… first impressions also come from what you wear!

Step 2: Dress Professionally


As alarming as it may sound, I am in disbelief when job seekers show up in flip flops, a t-shirt, and jean shorts. You could have the greatest charisma in the world, be passionate, and give a firm hand shake and still be disqualified based on what you wear. It’s important to remember to dress business professional; yet in a way that helps you stand out. For example, men often wear a black suit, blue dress shirt, and a red tie. To set yourself apart, consider wearing a navy blue suit, off white dress shirt, and an orange tie. Trust me, in this situation you will stand out if you introduce yourself with passion, a smile, and the correct body language. Remember, you are probably looking for an exciting career where you can grow. Find a way to encompass professionalism while standing out in a subtle way. Once you have caught the recruiters’ attention through your professional look, there is still another step in getting closer to the hot seat.

Step 3: Know who you’re talking to!


When job seekers have accomplished the first two steps, many times they miss out on the third step. We all know that people love to talk about themselves, and often times recruiters get excited when you talk about the company they represent and live for. Before arriving to a career fair, make sure to research the companies that fit your career objective. From there, learn what these companies are looking for in candidates, their latest news in the media, their mission statement, and where they are headed in the future. If you can have this conversation with a recruiter and ask well-thought out questions, you are light years ahead of the competition. What this communicates to a recruiter is that you are prepared, a hard worker, and not looking to join just any organization. By communicating to a company why you are the right person for the position, you can be confident that you have done what few job seekers have thought of. There is undoubtedly one last step that will dramatically increase your likelihood of getting into the hot seat; yet many candidates will never do this.


Step 4: Follow Up


Following up with the recruiter is pivotal in getting on board with the company. Be sure to ask the recruiter for his or her business card, and after you have met with them at the career fair make sure to follow up. One way to follow up is to write a thank you letter expressing your sincere interest in the company and position. This goes to show that you are persistent and truly believe you have what it takes to be successful. Following up is your last opportunity to make an impression with an employer; be sure not to miss out on this essential piece of the puzzle.


To recap, remember that it’s all about preparation. As the old saying goes “If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Be sure to bring passion & energy, dress business professional, have a solid understanding of the employer you are interested in, and make sure to follow up. If you can deliver these simple steps, I am confident that you will have a higher capability of landing your dream job.

360°: Change in the Workplace

Change.

This can be a scary word for some. As the old saying goes… if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Well, if you’re not adapting to change, you could potentially be “broke”.

The inspiration for my blog on change came from U2. While I am frequently inspired while listening to music, my thoughts began while I was one of the lucky 80,000 people who scored a ticket to their sold out 360° Tour show in Houston this week. Whether you’re a fan of U2 is irrelevant, but even non-fans have to give credit to this band for standing the test of time since their inception 33 years ago. How have they managed to be one of the few bands to do it?

Change.

U2 is a great example of a group recognizing the importance of reinventing themselves to appeal to fans year after year. At any point in their lives, they could have said—you know what, we have enough money and we have a good fan base… why change?

This same lesson can be applied in your approach to your life at work. You have to be willing to change if you want to remain relevant and hirable in today’s job market.

If you’re in the job market today, you’ve either been forced to make a change or you’ve decided to make a change. Either way, the word change should be an important part of your vocabulary as you enter into the interviewing process. You need to be able to demonstrate to a potential employer that you have a history of adaptability and willingness to change. Today, more than ever, with business models, processes and company initiatives changing at an unprecedented pace, employers are going to weigh heavily your ability (and, frankly, your desire) to change. During your interviews, be prepared to share specific examples of ways you have experienced change, how you adapted to them and how it has made you stronger in your area of expertise.

Don’t have a strong track record demonstrating your ability to change?

Here’s your call to action. Find ways to reinvent yourself. Take a class on a topic you’ve been interested in… volunteer for something you’ve never tried… do something wild that may take you out of your comfort zone. It’s never too late to learn how to change.

Take it from a band like U2. They are all nearly in their 50’s and 2009 may prove to be their best year yet… all because they are willing to, year after year, change.

I still remember the day...

I still remember the day I told my parents I was going to go sell mattresses.

It was a Saturday afternoon in 2001, about a month before I was set to grace the stage of my college campus’ auditorium and claim the diploma I had spent four years working so hard to achieve. I’m sure that you can imagine my parent’s response to this bold statement… “You are doing WHAT?” I’m pretty certain at first they didn’t believe me, which was then followed by a semi-heated discussion, which probably included some of the typical parental phrases… “You just spent 4 years getting your degree and you’re going to throw it away” or “Don’t get mad at me when I say ‘I told you so’!” To top it all off, not only was I going to go sell mattresses, but I was going to move over 2,000 miles away from home to do so.

So, you may ask, what would possess someone to do this?

I can tell you it certainly wasn’t for the love of mattress sales. Instead, what truly drew me in was seeing this incredible group of people who had such passion for what I would have anticipated would be such a mundane job. Through my over 7 years with my company, I realized it’s really not what you do… it’s how you do it and who you do it with.

As you go through your career search, you will probably be drawn to big name organizations or positions that may land you a prestigious title. However, I believe that if you want to end up in a position you love with a company you will love, here are a few things to look for:

Culture: What is the culture of the company like?
How do the employees interact?
Do they have an open door policy?
Do they welcome ideas from internal employees?
Vision, Values & Mission: Do they have a specific vision?
What are they doing to actually live out their values?
Is everything they do centered around the mission of their organization?
People: What kind of people work for the organization?
Are they people who will make you a better person and challenge you to grow?
Are they people that you will genuinely enjoy being around?

Where you go to work is obviously a very important decision. You will most likely spend more time at work than you will at home… so choose wisely and make sure that you are selecting a career path & company for the right reasons. This mattress extraordinaire sure did!

Job Seekers Should Act like Puppies…

That’s right; job seekers should act like puppies. After being out of town and thinking abut my little puppy at home, Lola, I began thinking about how puppies are so lovable. Many job seekers today have been recently laid off, turned away from jobs, and flat out rejected. This type of treatment can make a person feel unloved!

 Puppies have a zest for life and are always willing to learn a new trick… with a little coaching.
So hold your head high and think about your cuddly little friends as a source of inspiration for your job search!

So you might be asking, ‘how will acting like a puppy make me more “loveable” to an employer?’ It’s simple, think about the different characteristics of a puppy:

They are always excited to see you when you get home. After coming home from a business trip, I’m tired and looking to relax. I open my door and, who is there to greet me with a big smile and happiness? Lola. No matter what kind of day I have had I always smile when I see her little face and tail wagging with excitement. I mean, who doesn’t like a welcomed greeting? Now as a job seeker, think about the employer you are interviewing with and how many bad interviews they have sat through. Having someone excited and “wagging their tail” to interview is very refreshing and you can’t help but make them smile.

In today’s job market, it may seem like you have to go on 100 interviews before you finally find the dream job you were looking for or find an employer that likes what you have to offer. It is very easy to give up and walk away with your tail tucked between your legs. I ask you, “Is that what a puppy would do?” When Lola wants to play fetch and I’m not in the mood, do you think that stops her from trying? She will continue to place the toy on me over and over and over again until I play fetch with her. Puppies don’t give up… and neither should you.

Every now and again, Lola will have a little accident in the house which will cause me to be upset, placing her outside or in the kennel until she realizes what she has done is a mistake. Lola will recognize she has made me upset, but she will never hold a grudge! So even if you have made a mistake, which resulted in losing a job or not making it to a second interview, never hold a grudge. Don’t tell potential employers about previous grudges once held either. Learn from your mistakes and get back into the game.

Now you might be reading this blog thinking, ‘how can I be like a puppy, they are so young and full of life and I am not? I have been working for years or I just feel jaded.’ One thing you must never forget, no matter how seasoned a professional you may be, it is extremely important to always feel young and always be willing to learn.

It's All about the Shake

We all know the famous song:

You put your right hand in,

You put your right hand out,

You put your right hand in,

And you shake it all about!

For the Hokey Pokey, it's all about the shake! For a first impression in a job interview or at a career fair, it's also all about the shake...the handshake!

Here are a few helpful tips for a proper handshake:

Start early. Be the first to stand up and offer your hand. Make sure you meet them head-on, facing them directly.

Make Eye Contact. This should be a no-brainer and shows confidence!

Firm vs. Soft. Try to avoid the dead fish shake and the bone-crunching shake. Find a nice balance and remember that shaking a woman’s hand should be no different than shaking a man’s.

Ending a Handshake. End the handshake after 3-4 seconds or 2-3 pumps in order to avoid creating an awkward moment.

Follow these simple tips and you’ll have any employer eating out of the palm of your hand (pun intended)!