Career fair help

[kyrax12]

Say when I am talking to one of the professionals there, is it advisable to carry a notepad and take notes while you are talking to one?

Or is it not advisable?

 

[Ruptga]

It depends on the circumstances. If it's being held at an engineering college and there are a bunch of engineering companies there, it might help. If it's something at some community center or whatever, I don't think it matters. In either case your previous experience will be a lot more important than how fancy you make yourself look.

 

[Imp]

From what I heard, it's useful to not be pissed when they tell you to apply on their website.

 

[Ruptga]

From what I heard, it's useful to not be pissed when they tell you to apply on their website.

Oh how could I forget that. That's what happens at most crappy career fairs, and even some of the better ones. Some of it is a side effect of not taking paper applications, which I completely understand, but some of it is that employers see careers fairs more as low cost advertising than as a place to actually hire people.

A typical best case scenario is that you have a real conversation with someone about a specific position, then they give you their card and tell you to apply online with them as a referrer. Sometimes that's just a way for them to pad their bonuses, but sometimes they actually follow up and your application gets noticed.

 

[Imp]

Oh how could I forget that. That's what happens at most crappy career fairs, and even some of the better ones. Some of it is a side effect of not taking paper applications, which I completely understand, but some of it is that employers see careers fairs more as low cost advertising than as a place to actually hire people.
.

My previous employer had a habit of sending fresh, new recruits back to their alma maters to "recruit" new recruits. It was mainly for one of two entry level, fresh out of school trainee programs.

The catch?

Both programs received hundreds of applications per year. The year I got my job, there was something like 900 applications for maybe two dozen or so positions in my program. Also, the new recruits had zero sway. All applicants were required to apply online.

I couldn't help but feel the whole practice was leading people on a bit...