Mind-blowing questions to ask at a career fair – At a job fair, dozens or even hundreds of companies send recruiters to promote their businesses, advertise job openings, screen potential candidates, and collect resumes. Some job fairs target college students and recent graduates, while others target a specific career sector, such as healthcare, education or hospitality. Still others are specially organized for women or minority applicants. In this tight job market, attendance at all job fairs has grown exponentially.
Exciting career fairs. You walk into a room full of stalls and people like you dressed in their business best attire. Every stall and every recruiting company you see can be the first step towards a career goal and an amazing future. It is a time full of opportunities. Or, it’s a virtual fair, and you get a serious face with a whole host of potential employers to help you identify a company that’s right for you. You have gone through the online college application process and maybe even a few years of study, and you are now progressing toward your ultimate goal – getting a job!
How do I stand out at a career fair?
Career fairs can be intimidating, too. You can’t help but wonder how intelligent, talented and qualified all these other people are in the business world. Can they outmatch you? Do they get a job before they can? What if you miss your ideal potential employer, or worse – what if you talk to your employer and say the wrong thing? Especially in a virtual gallery.
In a crowded job fair, the successful applicant must know how to stand out from the crowd. Since there is usually no time for a formal interview at a job fair, you need to quickly show the employee that you are ready and professional. Experts say one of the best ways to do this is to ask intelligent and informed questions.
What questions should I never ask at a career fair?
Recruiting experts agree that the worst questions to ask at a job fair or interview is how much money you’ll be earning or how many days off you will have. You don’t have the job yet and you are already asking about vacation days? Although the absolute worst question should be: Are there security checks being carried out? Uh, why do you ask?
If you are looking for a job, the career fair is an excellent opportunity to stand out for employers who are actively looking to fill vacancies. Whether you are a recent college graduate or an experienced candidate, job fairs allow you to make a positive first impression on recruiters and possibly get an instant job interview. With a little preparation and some training, you will be able to confidently participate in your next career fair.
Are you going to the job fair? Not sure what questions to ask? At job and recruitment fairs you have a shortcut window to wow every hiring employee. One way to quickly stand out from the competition is to ask the right questions. Preparing a list of questions is a good way to learn about companies you might be interested in working for.
What are the best questions to ask at a career fair?
1. What roles are trainees / graduates recruited for?
This question enables you to know what the company is looking for and the roles or functional sectors that it is looking to hire and that may interest you. Remember – you are not only there to ask questions of employers, but they are actively booked through your university or organization, so they want to be there to talk to you and recruit students. This is a great way to get your first impression on companies and to get a first impression on you, use it to your full advantage and sell yourself.
2. What academic fields are you targeting?
This question is useful to see if your skills developed in your degree or educational background are appropriate for the roles they are being hired for. For example, if they are hiring for a product manager-based position, is it possible that they are looking for life science students. Do not shy away from companies that seem to target certain degrees as companies have a large variety of sectors and are usually looking to recruit students from different subjects, some job roles may also accept candidates from a wider degree area as well, so it’s always a good idea to ask!
3. How compatible is your company with my job preferences?
It is generally recommended to ask about aspects such as upward mobility, culture, and / or training programs. But what do you really care about? Training programs may not interest you, but rapid personal development may be. Do you care most about the correct location, business, or business structure? Before the career fair, find out what interests you the most by asking questions about your job preferences. Then ask each company about those key preferences.
4. What educational background are you looking for in an applicant?
This question can help you in the interview process. Do they prefer candidates who have a passion for learning and growth? If so, then expect them to ask about this in the interview. Does the company value strong communication skills? Prepare examples that demonstrate your communication skills.
5. What competencies / skills are you looking for?
This question allows you to assess your own skill set and see if this role would be beneficial and enjoyable for you. It also allows you to broaden your horizons and discover the type of graduate role you would be a perfect fit for. You might be surprised at how many graduate skills you have that match what employers will say they are looking for!
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6. What positions in your company would be a good choice for someone with my degree / educational background?
If you have a degree in the humanities, for example, it can be difficult to know which roles or sectors may be relevant to you. Asking this question allows you to assess what you are looking for in the company. Once again, you’ll be amazed at how many roles and sectors a companies can fit into!
7. What do people enjoy the most about working at your company? What are the challenges?
Job fairs are a great way to gain insight into the company in an open conversation manner and gain answers that may not be on the company website or role descriptions. This question allows you to get a deeper insight into the company and perhaps give you a hint about the joy and challenges that come with working there. This insight enables you to evaluate the company based on your own development desires, aspirations, and skill set.
8. What is your company culture like?
Company culture is the company personality and can define the environment in which employees work. Asking about the social aspects of the company is just as important as the professional aspect as you want to enjoy the environment in which you work. Company culture can be a big part of how happy you are at work regardless of the job role Culture is another area in which you should feel good and comfortable.
9. Do you provide training and development?
Some companies offer training and development along with their roles which can help you gain more experience, challenges and opportunities to develop more skills with them. This question demonstrates your eagerness to develop in the company and demonstrates your commitment and determination.
10. What does your recruitment process look like?
Different companies have different hiring processes. It can vary in terms of interviews, assessment centers and even whether they request things like graduate cover letters or specific skill tests. Knowing how to apply for jobs is good, especially if you are particularly interested in a role, as this may give you a head start after the fair so you know what to prepare for when applying. Here, you can also find out the application deadlines and how long the recruitment process will take.
11. What are the options upon completion of the graduation scheme?
Opportunities for some companies vary in length or may even offer development or training after some schemes are completed. This question opens up other opportunities the company may have for you and shows once again your commitment and determination for certain job vacancies. It’s also helpful to know this so that you can prepare for other opportunities after completing your graduation scheme or internship.
12. Can I contact you with more questions?
This is absolutely one of the questions to ask at a career fair as it creates contact with someone in the company and can make your life easier so you limit your search or risk getting lost in an automated email inbox! Some companies will require your email to be added to a list containing more follow-up information after the fair and highlight the steps to take next. It’s great to create a personal connection with someone from the company, and this can help you give you a potentially strong head start with your application and a point of reference for the company itself.
13. Can I leave my CV? Do you have a business card?
At the end of every one conversation with the recruiter, always show him your resume. Additionally, be sure to collect their business card so you can email you a thank / follow-up letter within 48 hours.
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