The preparation of the students is the key to success at the career fair | Nebraska today

Career fairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Provide students with an unmatched opportunity to have quality one-on-one interactions with some of the top companies.

To make the most of the opportunity, Husker should invest their time in preparation, he said Tracy LungrinHead of Career Services.

“When students prepare for career fairs, they are more likely to make a good first impression with employers, which in turn prepares them for their future careers,” said Lungrin.

At career fairs, like the in-person fairs that begin February 8, hundreds of employers are keen to speak to students in hopes of finding potential interns and full-time employees. In order to stand out from their classmates, students should prepare B. by registering for the fair, fine-tuning CVs, choosing suitable clothing and researching companies.

Registration for a trade fair

To start preparing for the career fair, students must Registration via handshake. This information helps employers and organizers provide students with the best possible experience. Students who register will also get exclusive access to pre-fair tips and tricks in the run-up to the fair.

Creation of a CV

Resumes are a snapshot of who the student is – it requires frequent updates and sometimes customization for specific companies and positions. Students should print copies of their resumes to give to employers. Check out a detailed guide on how to write a resume here.

What to wear

Different industries have different clothing standards. “Not everyone needs to wear a suit, but no one should wear sweatpants,” Lungrin said.

Individual college career coaches can provide guidance to students on what style of dress is appropriate for their preferred industry.

Students who need professional attire can attend one of the upcoming professional attire events from Husker Suit-Up or Lavender Closet.

Husker suit is operated by Career Services and JCPenney and allows any university student, staff, faculty or alumni to receive a 30% discount on select workwear. The discount can be redeemed online or in store from January 30th to February 6th.

lavender closet is operated by Career Services and the University LGBTQA+ middle. Any Nebraska student can stop by the pop-up and pick up gender-affirming workwear every day from February 1-3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

research companies

Company research helps students make the most of their time at the career fair by knowing which companies to speak to and what questions to ask.

Career Services has simplified the search for companies listed companies who will be present, organized by career focus.

The career focuses are designed to help students think about potential industries they would like to work in, rather than their current majors.

“If you’re a student, think about the industries you want to work in and look at the companies in those industries that are coming,” Lungrin said.

Career Focus is a new addition to the 2021-22 in-person career fairs. The idea came from the virtual trade fairs, which replaced face-to-face trade fairs COVID-19

Instead of having one big, broad-based day like in previous years, the career fair is divided into four smaller days that focus on specific industries to help students and employers have more quality interactions.

The spring career fair is the second face-to-face fair since the beginning of the COVID-19 Employers and students were keen to return to the face-to-face format, and Lungrin said that face-to-face contact with recruiters is a unique opportunity.

“You can’t replace the value of meeting in person. Sometimes that’s the only way to personally connect with some recruiters, especially when it’s a really competitive company,” said Lungrin. “There’s also a famous theory in careers advice called coincidence, and there are a lot of coincidental stories that happen at a careers fair. Often times a student will walk in and think they want to speak to these three companies, and then they just happen to speak to one or two others that weren’t on their radar and suddenly a great opportunity arises. ”

Lungrin encourages students of all majors and grades to attend career fairs to learn career development skills, such as: B. How to introduce yourself and how to ask good questions. You will also build relationships with potential employers.

“The fact that employers are paying to come to our fair means they plan to hire our students at some point,” Lungrin said.

Even if students are not actively looking for a job or internship, they should take the opportunity to network with employers so that when it comes time to secure a job or internship, they can leverage the relationships they have built up to find the right spot.

“Make this an opportunity for yourself,” said Lungrin. “Research what people are coming, challenge yourself to introduce yourself to two or three people, and have career interviews to improve your communication skills and your ability to sell and talk about yourself.”

Huskers can learn more about preparing for career fairs on-lineand share their work, internship, and experiential learning experiences here. Education graduates can attend an education-specific fair on February 8 and locate prep resources here.