Professionally dressed to impress, you walk up to meet the hiring manager at the booth for the first time, extend a hand for a firm practiced handshake and greet your potential employer. Giving the hiring manager something to remember you by in that first encounter is crucial for follow-up interviews, and even employment itself. Now that job fairs are virtual, it is even more vital to make a good impression. This week, the Career Center offers five ways to impress your future employer over a video-based platform.
- Dress professionally. Even if the employer can only see you from the chest up, it is important to dress the part. Business attire will give the employer the impression that you are prepared, serious and professional.
- Give good visual cues. When meeting a potential employer in person, it is advised to maintain eye contact. The same idea applies when using a virtual platform. Position your camera so you are in the center of the box, slightly raised to have your camera at eye level and be at least an arm's reach away from your laptop.
- Backgrounds, lighting, and audio. Test the location that you will be using for the virtual job fair! It is important to have good lighting, sound quality and a plain background or virtual background that is not distracting. Some general tips when adjusting your lighting include having a window in front of you for natural light or using overhead lights. It is crucial that your camera be turned on and that the employer can hear you. Test your audio and video at least twice to ensure that both the audio and video do not lag or have other issues.
- Prepare and practice. Having preplanned questions that can be flexible for every employer you wish to speak with shows that you came prepared and are not afraid to ask for more information about a company. Rehearse answering commonly asked questions or introducing yourself to build confidence and ensure clarity when you meet the company in a breakout room.
- Research the employer! It is important to have a strong idea of what a company stands for, what they are looking for in job applicants and reviews of the company. Researching the company will help you generate questions before the fair, and give you background information of what the job entails.
Now that you have these five tips come out and utilize them at our Career Fair! The All Majors: Fall 2020 Virtual Job & Internship Fair will be on October 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This will be a larger fair experience with a wider variety of employers and opportunities.
As you prepare for career fairs, it’s important to register for group and 1:1 sessions with employers in advance. You can only attend sessions you have registered for: check out how to register.
You can move mountains. Never hesitate to reach out to the Career Center with questions!
