Career Fair Tips and Tricks
Illustration by Nancy Hollis
SCAD’s biggest career event is here! Whether you are a freshman starting out your creative professional journey or a senior looking for employment after graduation, the annual SCAD Career Fair is the perfect place to network and connect with employers. Many students, when hearing about the Career Fair, might feel overwhelmed or discouraged to attend due to the high demand of students trying to connect with employers, or simply because they don’t believe they will receive a job offer from it. However, the key aspect of this experience is learning about professionals and companies to improve your network and work as an artist.
Tips and Tricks to prepare and approach the career fair:
- Practice your pitch
SCAD hosted a Career Prep one-on-one the past few weeks before the Career Fair. However, if you were not able to attend, you could always practice with your friends, peers, and professors, and even look at yourself in the mirror. There is nothing like “Too much practice” so the more you do it, the better prepared you will be to leave a good impression on the employers.
You only have so much time to make an impression, so ensure you are ready to communicate exactly what you want in the most concise way possible. Keep in mind who you are, what your mission is, how you are working towards it, and what you can bring to the table!
- Breathe/ do not stress too much
Interviews can be anxiety-inducing, but changing your mindset can help you reduce stress. An interview is an opportunity for the employer to meet you, but also an opportunity for you to meet them. Interviews are not a strict interrogation, treat them more as a conversation where you want to share the best aspect about yourself and get to know the best aspect about the recruiter. While you converse with them, manage your breathing and pacing, which can help ease the nerves. Before the meeting, it’s always best to put down your phone and other distractions and take a few moments of mindfulness.
- Organize the companies you will be meeting with
Before the big day, make sure to write down the names of the companies you are interested in and the ones you will be meeting with. If you are attending several events on the same day, it is better to have them written separately with their respective time slots so you can stay organized on the big day and feel less overwhelmed. It also is important to have an understanding of a company’s missions and values before a meeting, so you can communicate how you as an individual align with their ideals! Most places have a mission statement or brief history on their website, so make sure you look into their identity before meeting.
- Attend group meetings if you do not get a one-on-one interview
Even if you did not save a time slot with the company you wanted to interview with, it is always good to attend the group meetings. Group presentations allow you to learn about the company, ask questions, and still connect with the employer even though it is not as intimate as the one-on-ones. You could always reach out to the recruiters through LinkedIn, apply for the job, and keep an eye out for next year’s career fair because the companies usually return.
- Connect with employers
After meeting plenty of professionals looking for talented students, it is always good to connect with recruiters through LinkedIn or other social media so you can emphasize your interest in the company. Just remember to be polite and thank them for speaking with you.
Every student’s approach is different in how they present themselves to the recruiters. At RenderQ, we hope that these tips and tricks can help you address the career fair and enhance your experience so you can get hired and impress or connect with your dream company.