Hosted by Student Success & Engagement Coaches Jess Lambrecht and Rick Herian, the latest Lunch & Learn, Preparing for a Job Fair, was held on Wednesday, Jan. 13 in the Esch Library.

Students in attendance were treated to a pre-prepared lunch including sandwich, pasta salad and fruit, as well as chips and cookies.

In addition to a good meal, students learned key elements in preparing for a job fair, including developing and practicing a short introduction, researching the companies in attendance, identifying any Alumni contacts via LinkedIn and developing a set of questions to ask employers.

Herian outlined appropriate attire for students, stating the importance not only of dressing professionally, but also wearing comfortable shoes.

As the presentation continued, what to bring and not to bring to a job fair was discussed. Things to bring included a parking permit, if they are provided or required at an event, the requisite copies of your resume, personal business cards to give to employers, a pad folio or a professional notebook to keep your brought and collected items organized and a print out of employers of interest.

Herian went on to explain things not to do, including cruising booths with friends, carrying a backpack, coat or large items and collecting a lot of free give-away items, if available.

Students should remember they are attending as professionals, not for free items.

What students should take away from a job fair, beyond collecting business cards from employers with which they are interested, is to write follow up notes about those companies and to make sure a student gets company information, brochures, position description, etc. from these companies.

Lambrecht said, “The main point of going to a job fair is to […] get to know a company better”
and students should keep that in mind.

Some tips about what to do after a job fair included emailing personalized thank you notes to employers within 48 hours of the event, connecting with companies about specific opportunities of interest and connecting with any alumni met through LinkedIn.

Upcoming job fairs of interest to Lakeland students include the Part Time Job Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Campus Center Lounge on Wednesday, Jan. 20 and the WorkForce Career & Internship Fair, featuring over 100 regional and national employers, on Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis.

Free transportation will provided for this event, with buses leaving at 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. It is recommended to register early for the buses as seats are first come first serve.

Both events are opportunities for students to gain valuable networking experience.

About the WorkForce Career & Internship Fair, students Jocelyn Yeager, junior accounting and business major, and Tim Robbins, junior business administration major with an emphasis in finance and economics, who have both previously attended the fair, gave Lunch & Learn students some advice:

“Write down notes on the back of business cards,” said Yeager. This will help students remember important information about the company or representative at the event.

“Make yourself stand out,” added Robbins, as there are likely to be many others interested in the same company you are.

Reiterating a previous point and stressing personal experience of not doing so, Yeager said, “Girls, especially, wear comfortable shoes.”

Giving one last tip to wrap up his own experience, Robbins said, “Always stay positive.”

Registration for the Part Time Job Fair on Jan. 20 and Pre-registration for WorkForce Career & Internship Fair on Feb. 16 are currently open and accessible on Career Connect.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 12:15 p.m. will be the Lunch & Learn: Scholarships event in the Esch Library, followed by Lunch & Learn: Planning for Graduate School on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 11:30 a.m. in Old Main 11.

For more information on future Lunch & Learns or about the job fairs, visit Career Connect or contact your Success Coach.