Prepare for Career Expo

So, we live in Alabama, and it's highly likely that it will still be hot at the end of the month for Career Expo (Sep 28 & 30). But you know what? You STILL need to dress professionally. Here are a few other tips to consider as you prepare to attend Career Expo:

• Use breath mints and do not chew gum. (CDS will provide water.)
• Bring copies of your resume. Some will take it, some won’t. Be prepared for some companies to direct you to their website to apply. Be prepared for other companies to ask you to interview the following day. (Have your schedule handy.)
• Know who you want to talk to in advance. Look up the companies attending, the majors they are recruiting and research the companies on CareerShift and find out about people who work there and what articles say about them. Look up what job opportunities the companies are offering.
• Be ready with your prepared elevator pitch. CDS has resources available to help you put this together, but also visit 15SecondPitch.com, where this is a pitch wizard.
• Go find the empty table. Don’t miss the opportunity to get one-on-one advice. You will definitely learn something.
• Talk with other job seekers. With 60% of job offers being the direct result of networking, you never know who it be through.
• When you talk to employers, keep your conversation focused and brief. Introduce yourself with a small, firm handshake and make direct eye contact.

Resource: Valerie Matta,VP Business Development, CareerShift, LLC