Preparing for the Feb. 19 Career Fair: Resources for Your Student
The Spring 2014 Career Fair will be held February 19-20, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Johnson Center. All students seeking internships, co-ops, full-time jobs, or part-time jobs are encouraged to attend. The fair is open to all students and alumni of George Mason University and in the past, over 1,200 students have attended the fair daily. This year, Wednesday, February 19 will feature employers from the engineering, science and technology industries, while Thursday, February 20, will focus on business, public service and non-technical careers.
Preparing for the Career Fair is easy; it just takes a little time. We recommend that students start preparing a few weeks early so they feel prepared to make their best impressions to employers. We suggest the following four strategies for preparing for the Career Fair:
Research participating employers
Encourage your student to research employers participating in the Career Fair. A full list of employers can be found on the University Career Services website (link to: careers.gmu.edu).
Craft a personal pitch
A personal pitch is how your student can start a conversation with an employer. Encourage your student to create a short pitch introducing him or herself, explaining his or her interest in the organization, describing his or her strengths and qualifications, and asking a relevant question. To view an example of a personal pitch, click here.
Prepare a resume
Your student can use a resume to show his or her experience, provide a brief summary of qualifications, education, and experiences relevant to the job search objective. Encourage your student to utilize the Resume Checklist, Key Action Verbs List, and Skills Profiler, and resume format examples in order to create the most competitive resume. Your student also has the opportunity to have his or her resume reviewed by a member of the University Career Services staff. Read on or visit careers.gmu.edu for more information on upcoming Resume Clinics.
Dress professionally
It is important for your student to look his or her best at the Career Fair. Encourage him or her to wear a suit in a conservative color, closed toe shoes, and keep jewelry to a minimum. It is also important for your student to travel light. Encourage him or her to only bring essential items to the fair.
For more information or to learn how to talk directly with someone from Career Services about how to best prepare, encourage your student to visit the University Career Services website.
University Career Services is also sponsoring several events to help students prepare for the Career Fair. Encourage your student to attend the Practice Interview Day on February 5, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in University Career Services office located in Student Union Building I. Through this workshop your student can practice his or her interviewing skills by meeting one-on-one with an employer for a 30-minute mock interview followed by constructive feedback and tips on how to improve and perfect his or her interviewing skills. To sign up for a practice interview students should log into HireMason, click on “campus interviews I qualify for” and search for practice interviews.
University Career Services will also be hosting resume clinics for students on February 12 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on February 18, 1 – 7 p.m. Through these clinics students will have the opportunity to meet with employers to have his or her resume critiqued in 15-minute sessions. The clinics are first come, first served and all students encouraged to attend.
For more programs and services offered by University Career Services, visit careers.gmu.edu or call 703-993-2370.
Ann G. Mills
Associate Director, Career Development
University Career Services