How to Make the Most of an Expo

20 Jul 2016
20 Jul 2016

Careers Expos give you a unique and convenient opportunity to meet and greet the top local, national and international graduate recruiters.You will be one of thousands of motivated students who interact with these recruiters across this informative and diverse platform, so make the most of this great opportunity as part of your job search.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

As the Careers Expo offers you access to the top recruiters, you want to make the most of this experience. Follow these handy steps.

Be open-minded 
Speak to any organisation that interests you. Be open-minded as you may learn about a company that you hadn’t considered before. Remember that many companies are looking for skills and will recruit from all degrees.

Be focused 
It may seem obvious, but be prepared when recruiters ask: ‘Why are you here?’

Be confident 
When you meet an employer, introduce yourself, find out their name and ask them some questions.

Ask questions
Some questions that you could ask employers include:

  • The Work: Day-to-day activities, rewards and challenges, what graduates do and how will the work change over time?

  • The Workplace: Culture, location, size of teams, impending changes.

  • Skills and attributes needed: What are they looking for? What makes candidates stand out? Where can you draw evidence from to show you have these skills?

  • Experience: What type of experience do they prefer graduates to have, do you need relevant experience and do they have any opportunities to gain experience?

  • Industry and the business: How much/what are the applicants expected to know? Where are the best places to look for information and what are the issues and developments in the industry at the moment?

If you don’t find what you need
Not all companies and sectors that hire graduates are represented at expos. If you cannot find a company that you are interested in, you still have options. You can visit the Careers Service stand and speak to the career advisors.