It's February! Show employers some love at career fairs!

When you think of February in the United States, what comes to mind? Candy, hearts and flowers for Valentine's Day? President's Day? Ground Hog Day? One less month of winter? On our campus, February means career fair month.

This year there are seven, yes, 7!, fairs on campus and one fair for sports enthusiasts we've linked to that is occurring elsewhere. The only spring fair sponsored by Career Services, the Connection Job Fair, is for all majors and for students seeking internship, co-op, or full-time positions. Currently, 130 employers are registered to attend. Curious about who is attending? Visit this site to do your research and discover which employers seek your major.

Want to improve your performance at career fairs this month? Try these methods to show some love to employers at fairs you attend.

Present a well written resume to employers. To fine tune your resume, meet with advisors at these various locations and times . Print your resume on finer quality paper containing cotton or linen fibers. Your resume is your ad--make it look good! Have a copy of your unofficial transcript and list of references with you in case an employer asks for them. Carry all of these in a padfolio.

Research employers you want to meet. Create a target list of employers and visit their web sites. A great place to check out is their NEWS. Write down questions you want to ask as you meet with employers. After all, a career fair is a mini interview, where both the employer and you should ask questions. Unsure what to ask? View suggested questions to ask employers .

Practice your introduction. As you walk up to an employer and shake hands, you want your introduction to be polished. The only way for that to happen is for you to work on your introduction. Need help creating your elevator pitch? Visit one a past post to work on your introduction.

Dress for success. What should you wear to a career fair? A suit is fine if you want to look most professional, but business casual attire is appropriate for fairs. Many of the employers you meet will wear more casual attire, so you can too. A nice pair of pants (or skirt or dress for women) and a nice shirt will make a good impression. Leave your 3 inch heels, tight skirt and revealing top at home.

Develop a plan of attack. At the fair, check in, placing your nametag on your right below your shoulder. Obtain a map of employer booths, finding your target employers. Before you speak with an employer, observe. Stand in a long line, listening to the conversation. Move to a few other long lines before you get to the front. Observing gets you more comfortable with how career fairs work. As you speak with employers, save your first choice employer for later to first work on your conversation skills. Ask for business cards!



Bonus! Final tip: Follow up after the fair. Go online if you need to apply. Write employers you meet a thank you note for speaking with you at the fair. Email or call employers a couple of weeks after applying. You will be much more successful in your search for a position if you follow up. And, your follow up demonstrates your interest and initiative.

You've got this! Go spread some Hokie love!!