Battlefield Expo
Every now and then a careers fair or jobs expo pops up on the horizon. Whether or not you choose to go is up to you, but as the boy scouts says, "Be prepared"
The smell of daybreak
If you can, make it to the event shortly after the doors have opened. That way, not only will you be able to talk with the employers and exhibitors before they've been worn down for the day, but you'll have breathing space if you want to find out more about a profession or career path. And if you decide to leave after only an hour, you'll still have the rest of the day to play with.
Dress to de-stress
A careers expo is not a job interview, so you don't need to turn up in a suit and tie when a pair of jeans will do. When you're comfortable you're more receptive and as your goal is to gather information, this helps. But don't go around in a hessian bag no matter how convenient it is.
Bring a backpack
Corporations love nothing more than making their brand "stick." One of their craftier tactics is to hand out all manner of freebies with their company logo stamped all over it. These freebies are anything by easy to handle en masse, especially as they could be anything from pens or water bottles to fridge magnets. Sure, there might be a bag or two for you to carry the goodies in, but think about when you leave. Not only does a backpack make carrying many bags that much easier with everything contained in spill-free compartments, but it's also a little more discreet. When you're outside later on, you don't want to be seen as a pawn of the marketing machine.
Filter the flyers
If you've ever walked down a city street you're bound to have had flyers, cards and coupons thrust upon you. If you spot them early enough you can walk beyond their reach and out of their way. A similar thing happens at a careers expo so expect the bombardment. If the material interests you, you could find more about it right then and there. If it doesn't, just put it into your bag and recycle it when you get home.
Sounds interesting!
Not everyone knows what career they want, but everyone has an interest in something. So, when you're grilling the spokesperson, ask them about things that interest you and any related areas. If they can spot a link between your interest and their industry, they'll open up more which in turn gives you a clearer idea about whether an industry such as theirs could be the one for you. You might even learn about a career that you never even considered because you didn't figure it would interest you.
Make the most of an expo. Relax, stroll around and soak up all the information you can. That's what it's there for.
Ethan Switch - thewaxconspiracy.com
Published October 2003 at Volume 2, issue 5 of JET Magazine
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