The Top 10 Career Events You Don't Want to Miss This Spring

Welcome back to campus! The Career Center has plenty of exciting events planned for the semester. Check the calendar for workshops, networking events, career fairs, employer visits and more.  

The Career Center advertises hundreds of events each academic year, and we know it's hard to narrow it down.  Here's a list of ten events that will appeal to most Tufts students.



1. Tufts Career Fair: Weds, February 10, 11:30 am-2:30 pm, Gantcher

More than 160 organizations are registered!  The Tufts Career Fair Plus mobile app on both android and apple is a quick and easy way to identify full time positions and internships.  Filters and favorites allow you to narrow down your options and save.  A map of where organizations will be in Gantcher will further assist you in your action plan.

2. Prepare for the Fair: Thurs, February 4, 6:30 pm, Dowling 745A

If you plan to attend the fair, then this workshop is a no brainer.  An employer from Genscape (Genscape is the leading global provider of real-time data & intelligence for commodity & energy markets, driven to improve market transparency & efficiency.) will discuss what they expect from students at a career fair.  Whether you've been to a career fair or this is your first time, this workshop always delivers an effective and relevant message for job and internship seekers.

3. Internship Grant Information Sessions: 1/26, 2/1, 2/12, 2/29 (see the calendar for times and locations)

Last summer the Career Center distributed more than 50 $3500 grants to students who conducted full-time, unpaid internships in the U.S. and abroad.  There are two deadlines for applying in 2016: March 11 for international internships and April 13 for U.S. internships.  Attend an info session to learn more!

4.  Bookbuilders of Boston: Weds, March 9, 6:00-8:00 pm, Milmore Room, Dowling

Bookbuilders is the largest publishing professional organization in Boston related to publishing, editing, design, production, manufacturing and marketing.  At this event, you'll connect with members working in the industry.  This is a new event this year!

5. Consulting Career Forum: Sat, February 6, 9am-3pm, Cabot

What, exactly, is consulting?  If you've ever asked yourself this question, then this is the event for you.  Co-sponsored by Tufts Consulting Collective and 180 Degrees Consulting, sessions include Getting Started as a Consultant, Boutique Consulting, Management/Strategic Consulting, Consultant to MBA and Back, and Landing a Job or Internship in Consulting.  They'll be networking with alumni during lunch.  The day will start with a keynote and end with a case study led by real consultants!  Registration is required.

6. Presentation Skills Seminar: Fri, February 12, 1-4pm, Cabot

Jonny Goldstein on Flickr

This highly practical, interactive session will immediately boost your public speaking and presentation skills in interviewing, networking and other contexts.  Registration is required.

7. Law Day on the Hill: Thurs, March 3, 6-8pm, Alumnae Lounge

This annual event coordinated by Tufts Pre-Law Advising always aims to please.  A look at the legal profession, law school and careers for lawyers followed by networking with alumni. Registration is required.

8. MIT European Career Fair 2016: Sat, February 6, 9am-4pm, Johnson Athletic Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA

We list lots of off campus career events, and the MIT European Career Fair is an excellent example. Organized by the MIT European Club, ECF continues to serve Boston area universities and colleges by providing opportunities for students at all levels to connect with European employers. This fair hosts some of the brightest candidates who are interested in a career in Europe and increases awareness in the US about the exciting career opportunities that Europe has to offer.

9. The Professional-in-Residence Series: 

Schedule an individual meeting to ask the P-I-R about their experience and get advice for your own career pursuits.  Watch your Career eNews for registration details.

Gillian Galen A01, Friday, February 26, 10am-3pm, Career Center, Dowling

Clinical Psychologist,  Harvard  Faculty, and Program Director of 3East Adolescent DBT Residential Program.  Join Ms. Galen, a Clinical Psychologist, Harvard Faculty Member and Program Director of 3East Adolescent DBT Residential Program, for individual meetings and a Lunch & Learn session. 

Erin Allweiss A05, Thursday, March 10, 10am-3pm, Career Center, Dowling

Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Co-founder of No. 29 Communications. Erin Alllweiss has worked in strategic communcations, public relations, and is the Co-founder of No. 29 Communications. Please check the career center website for more details for scheduling an individual meeting to ask the P-I-R about her experience and get advice for your own career pursuits.  

10. LinkedIn Lab: Thurs, February 18, 12-1pm & Weds, March 2, 12-1pm, Dowling 745

A hands-on introduction to creating a LinkedIn profile and learning to network with Tufts alumni.  There are more than 300 million members, including 6100 Tufts alumni who are willing to provide career advice. Registration is required.

Don't forget to read the weekly Career Center eNews to stay on top of spring 2016 events!

Take care,

Nicole M. Anderson

Assistant Director/Career Advisor

Tufts Career Center

 

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How to work the career fair? There's an app for that!

Read well, because the Tufts Career Fair Plus App knows all. I was honestly amazed by how much the app can do, and I admit to playing with it for a good half hour. It knows who you could talk to, where to find them, how to impress them, and much more. If you use it wisely, the app can be your guide, your informant, and--in the nerve wrecking moments of the Career Fair--your moral support. Also, it's easy to install: The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store or the Play Store, and it's free! 

A look into the main menu of the Tufts Career Fair Plus App

The app can help you strategize your attack!

Are you ready? (www.cioresources.com)

In my last blog post, I mentioned the idea of figuring out who you wanted to speak to at the fair and organizing your approach. The Career Fair App is perfect for that!

On the app, when you click on "Companies", a list of all 180+ employers come up on the screen. Under every company, there are details describing the company, what positions they are offering, and what kind of applicant are they looking for. It's basically your cheat sheet to the company.

Of course, no one has time to go through 180+ companies. That's why the app has a filter function to organize your choices by industry, positions offered, desired major and/or location. You can narrow down your choices even further by favoriting the ones that you find most interesting. 

Once you find the companies you want to talk to, you can see where they are stationed using the Fair Map on the app. 

The app knows what you need to know, ya'know?

I promise it's less confusing than this...(rebloggy.com)

Announcements about the fair will be visible through the Announcements section of the app. Any updates about the fair will be posted here, as well. 

Finally, the app has a GOLD MINE of Career Fair Tips in the Career Fair 101 section of the app. These short articles give advice on how to dress for the Career Fair, offer your elevator pitch, and impress the recruiter. So basically, the Career Fair app is like a blogger that you can fit in your pocket.

So the moral of the story is: It's a better use of your time to scroll through the Tufts Career Fair Plus app during class than Facebook or Insta. The app is a great tool to make the most out of the Career Fair. It's perfect for preparing you and putting you in the best position to shine at the fair. So go out there today and be prepared for the fair--cuz now there's an app for that!

(www.cioresources.com)

Thanks for reading!

Nina Joung

Class of 2018

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Employer Pet Peeves Series: Career Fair Edition

What Drives Recruiters CRAZY? 

As a Career Advisor and Manager of our Employer Relations team, I talk to employers all year. The employers that come on campus come for a reason - they think Tufts students make great employees. We take every opportunity to pump them for information about what the Career Center can do better to prepare our students, and we try to give our students that information. Rather than paraphrasing what we have heard, I recently polled some of our partners and asked them to send us their pet peeves. 

Over the next several weeks we will share things that students do (not Tufts students obviously) during the recruitment process that really bother recruiters. Each blog post will cover a component of the recruitment process. Since the Career Fair is coming up on September 30, we'll start with some very general comments from employers and move into Career Fair Pet Peeves. Make sure you avoid doing any of the things on this list. Each comment was written by an industry professional. We have indicated names or titles when given permission to do so. The comments in blue are mine.

PET PEEVES, IN GENERAL

A pet peeve of mine is . . . "When candidates have a weak handshake, I always find that a little off-putting. Someone with a strong handshake makes a better first impression and seems much more confident."  

This is true at Career Fairs, when meeting someone at networking events and even when introducing yourself to someone on a bus.

I hate it when . . ."Candidates aren’t prepared to give project (real life) examples."

"My pet peeve is  . . . candidates who apply “enmasse” and don’t take time to tailor their application to my opening. This can be a direct email with no content except their resume, an online application with a cover letter that isn’t specific to our opening or a resume with an objective line that looks like it was done for another position."  Sharon Stewart, Director of Human Resources at DN Tanks

CAREER FAIR PET PEEVES

"One pet peeve would certainly be NOT having a hard copy of their resume, or when somebody tells me that’s it’s the only one they have but it’s not totally up-to-date." Recruiter from a Career Fair Sponsor 

In other words . . . come to the fair ready to be at the fair. Not every organization will want your resume, but you must have an up-to-date version for anyone who asks. Some recruiters don’t care if you don’t know about the company (see next comment), while others do. Check on Jumbo Jobs or through the Career Fair mobile app (Tufts CFPlus) for quick company descriptions. Even better, do your homework on your top 10 employers.  

"While I don’t mind as much when a student has not done homework on what EVERY company (at the fair) does, their hesitation to come out and ASK drives me crazy. Most (students) are very shy and it’s hard to pull info out of them! I remember the students who have that certain confidence and can sell their skills to me, so I can sell THEM to the hiring managers!" Recruiter from a Career Fair Sponsor  

"It's frustrating when a candidate comes up and has no idea what the company does. If they're a freshman or sophomore, maybe it's okay, but if they are seriously considering the company for an internship or job, they should have taken the time to at least do a google search." Anonymous Recruiter 

"Another pet peeve is being asked about compensation. It certainly raises flags about a person's motivations if it is brought up too early in the recruiting process. I'd think that if you make it to a final interview round it may be appropriate to be discussed, but certainly not at a career fair. At large companies, many of the alumni representatives don't have much to do with that portion of the recruiting anyway, so the answer you get probably won't be worth the damage to the initial impression (you are making)."  Anonymous Recruiter 

Look for the next installment of Employer Pet Peeves.  I will cover what not-to-do in cover letters and LinkedIn.

Robin Kahan is the Associate Director, Employer Relations and Engineering in the Tufts Career Center and a Tufts Alumna.  Prior to Tufts, Robin spent 21 years at Analog Devices in progressive Human Resources roles, the most recent being World-Wide Manager of College Relations.  She likes to say that she just changed sides of the desk when she moved to the Tufts Career Center. Robin has an MBA with a concentration in Human Resources from the Johnson School at Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tufts University.   

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First-Years' Guide to the Career Fair (taught through Parks and Recreation)

The Tufts Career Fair is next week.

If that statement scares you, and if you're a first-year, this article could SAVE you.

This big event is happening on Wednesday, September 30 from 11:30 to 2:30 in Gantcher gym (where Fall Gala was). The Career Fair can be overwhelming and intimidating, but that should only be the case if you have no idea what you're doing. Hopefully after reading these steps and tips, you'll have the confidence of a junior/senior (but without the actual pressure to find a job *thank goodness*). 

Confession: The only two times I've gone to the gym were for Fall Gala and the Career Fair...what is exercise?
(Career Center)

Before the fair

1. Update or create your professional resume! You and the delete button are really going to get to know each other during this process...Although there are some aspects of high school that can still be used in a first-year's college resume, (i.e. GPA, related experiences, outstanding achievements) most of your resume will need a MAJOR college makeover. 

My high school resume
(www.buzzfeed.com)

Thankfully, the Career Center is having three resume critique events, Sept. 24, 25 and 28 (Click here for details) Of course, you can also go to the Career Center's drop-in hours for resume critiques.

2. Make it work! This event is all about first impressions and interactions, so presentation is key. If you put effort into a professional outfit, employers and recruiters will see that you are serious about wanting to speak with them. Luckily, for first-years, you don't necessarily need to wear a suit, but definitely no gym clothes (even though we're in Gantcher) and no sloppy looking clothes. (Tip: wear comfy shoes walking TO the fair, and change them before you start meeting employers--let's not relive the struggles of walking in heels to Fall Gala)

Looking good can make a municipal building look like a runway
(www.vulture.com)

One perk of really dressing the part is that there will be a LinkedIn photo booth taking professional head shots that you can use for your professional profile. (Because, unfortunately, no employer wants to see a selfie as your LinkedIn profile pic...)

3. Get the Career Fair App! Use the Tufts Career Fair Plus app to get all the information you need for the fair. With the new app, you can add career center events to your phone's calendar, find career fair tips, see a list of employers and view a map of employer tables.

The app is perfect for organizing your plan at the Career Fair - use the app's list of employers, filter your search by job type or major, and favorite the ones you're interested in seeing. Read their bio on the app and link to the company website. Then, use the map to know where their table is located. It's called the Job Hunt, right? You got to strategize your attack!

At the Fair

1. Take it all in...Get a feel for the setting. It can be intimidating to be around so many recruiters, but there's no need to rush right into it. Notice where everyone stashes their backpacks and extra stuff before heading out to fair. Also, the Career Center will have a table right at the entrance to answer any questions or concerns you have. 

If you feel like this at the Career Fair, come by the Career Center table. Please.
(fictionalcharactermbti.tumblr.com)

2. Actually talk to someone. Whether you're at the career fair to look for an internship, or you just want to see what the fair is like, don't waste an opportunity to practice talking to companies. You should have a general "Elevator Pitch" practiced or at least in mind with information like:

• You name, class and (prospective) major
• Things in your background that relate to the particular employer (activities, interests, projects, research, work, volunteer experience...)
• Questions to keep the conversation going such as: Could you tell me a little more about the internship program that you mention on your website? What skills/experiences do successful interns have? 

This should not be your main selling point...
(www.cosmo.ph)

If you have no idea what to say to a company representative, this is your opportunity to listen in on other people's conversations with employers and learn. Afterwards, you can step aside, take a few minutes to research the company, and come back later to talk.

3. Be mindful. Be aware of your body language. (just be an attentive listener - good posture, good eye contact, and try to hide the fear in your eyes...) Also, be considerate to other students who want to speak with the employer. If you see a huge line forming behind you, don't be a jerk. Ask for a business card to continue the conversation later (Tip: write down notes about the conversation on the back of the card!).

Don't be a jerk, cuz Andy's allergic.
(giphy.com)

After the fair

1. Reflect! Think about what opportunities sounded cool and what companies you liked. Also research the company or the person you found interesting, too, before you forget.

Be true to your interests. Be Ron Swanson.
(uproxx.com)

2. Follow through! This can be done in two ways (neither of them use a basketball)

One: Write a follow-up email to the people you talked to thanking them for meeting with you and attach a resume. Don't let your resume be lost among the pile - make an impression whenever you can before you lose the connection.

Two: Apply to the internship that they are offering. Just so you know, adding your resume to the pile at the fair doesn't count as applying for the job. Some employers at the career fair will take your contact info and send you an application, but most times, YOU are going to take the first step. If this frightens you, come by the Career Center for a cover letter writing session and any other application support you need!

Don't come barging in with your resume three years later - Follow up immediately!
(www.indianapolismonthly.com)

3. Excel! For companies you're consider applying for, create a spreadsheet that organizes all the steps you should take, events they are holding, and any general notes about the company's hiring process. Here's a Sample spreadsheet made by the Career Center.

My final piece of advice? You got this! At your first career fair, you have room to learn and room to make mistakes, so put on that suit jacket your mom made you bring and go forth!

Career Fair? Please, you got this.
(www.buzzfeed.com)

Thanks for reading!

Nina Joung
Class of 2018

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Notes from the SciTech Fair

Before we jump into our topic for today’s post, let’s take a brief moment to say congratulations to everyone who completed their internship applications due on or around February 15^th!

This mid-month deadline is common for summer internships, and before you get ready for the next round of due dates (usually March 1^st), take a second to pat yourself on the back for taking conscientious steps towards your career goals! (For everyone who hasn’t submitted an internship application yet, either because they haven’t had any encroaching deadlines or they haven’t started applying, good luck and keep going! Also, for everyone who has finished all their applications and maybe even heard back about an internship, give yourself an even bigger pat on the back.) Remember to celebrate the little victories as much as the big ones!

Now that congratulations and best wishes have been dealt, we can discuss the SciTech Fair. For those who came, you may have seen me at the welcome booth swiping students’ ID cards from 1 to 2. Before working for such an arduous hour, however, I had the opportunity to briefly walk around the fair, chat with employers, and make some observations about the day. Some of these observations, which involved a harmless dose of eavesdropping, offer some key insights into what employers are looking for at a career fair, particularly one aimed at STEM students. Here are some of the more interesting observations I made:

Dress to impress – because you always leave an impression. It was hard to find people at the fair who weren’t dressed in business attire, let alone business casual (I counted maybe ten people in jeans). Even if the employers are dressed casual, and the environment of the job you’re applying for is casual, it’s important to look the part – that is, the part of a motivated, ambitious, and interested job applicant. If nothing else, dressing up shows employers how seriously you take this opportunity to speak with them and how important you find the job/internship to which you are applying. Therefore, this is one of those cases where you should go with the flow and dress as nicely as your peers. Keep on being classy, Tufts.

Be assertive, but not arrogant. While I was walking around Gantcher, I caught a few sentences here and there from conversations between students and recruiters as well as recruiters and their colleagues. As I walked by a pair of employers, I heard one of them turn to the other and offhandedly mention that the last student he’d spoken with had “come on too strong.” As the heading of this section suggests, it’s important to be confident and poised when talking with a recruiter, but there’s a line to be towed between confidence and arrogance. You want to treat employers (and people in general – sorry for sounding like an after-school special, but it’s worth noting) with enough deference to indicate that you are an ideal person to work with. Try practicing your self-pitch to a friend and ask them to critique your presentation before you try it out on a recruiter.

Don’t show up late... just don’t do it. The SciTech Fair ended at 2, so I worked at the front table during the last hour of the event. For the most part, the traffic began to slow down around 1:30, but I swiped in a student at 1:50. Ten minutes to walk around the fair, find the employers he wanted to talk to, and explain to them why he was a great candidate for the job (despite already being out of breath at the welcome booth). I think we can all agree that this student did not find a job that day. Not being late is part of a bigger concept that this blog has touched upon many times: preparation is the key to success. The most organized students I saw at the fair came with portfolios of resumes and a detailed list of each company they were looking to speak with. Model yourself after these students. Remember, be a Leslie Knope, not a Jerry Gergich.

What you should aspire to.

What you should avoid.

A lot of these points (and more) are addressed in a great article from Vocation Village entitled "What Recruiters Wish You Knew About Career Fairs", a piece written by a recruiter-turned-career-counselor who has some great and perhaps unexpected insights about the do's and don't's for students at a career fair.

Overall, the day was a huge success, and the Career Center excellently pulled off two career fairs targeted at widely different types of students in one day. If you’re a freshman, sophomore, or junior, be sure to check out the SciTech Fair or the Spring Job & Internship Fair next year to take advantage of such a great opportunity!

Until next time,

Sean Boyden

Class of 2017

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Going to the Spring Career Fair? There's an App for That

Congratulations everyone, Snowpocalypse 2015 continues and you have fared well! We all deserve a huge pat on the back. If you're like me, then I'm sure the past few snow days have been spent finding your new Netflix show, discovering new hit music, or catching up on Scandal. Whether you would like to admit it or not, these snow days have allowed for a chance to breathe. And, having caught my breath,I have good news for my fellow millennials, who are tech connected and pressed for time. The Tufts Career Center is using an app to help students navigate the Spring Career Fairs!  (That's right, there are two career fairs!)

Real time updates ensure you know exactly who is at the fair!

The app is called Tufts Career Fair Plus and is available in the iTunes/App Store as well as Google/Android Store. We don't discriminate based on tech preference! (Did you catch the reference? If you're planning to go the fair, you have no choice but to download it! Remember, the worst thing you can do at the Career Fair is to show up unprepared.

Event Details
The application provides key information about the upcoming 2015 Spring Job and Internship Fair as well as the 2015 Sci-Tech Fair - location and times of the fairs, and real time updates by the Career Center if any changes should occur, such as a last minute cancellation or change in a company's table location. 

Companies
You can search the list of companies attending and check out a summary of the company, the positions they're looking to fill, geographic location, majors preferred, and much more.  You can link directly to the company website - highly important in order to conduct necessary company research in order to assess whether or not you want to check them out at the fair.  And, you can save those companies to your "favorites", so you can come back to their profile when you're at the event.  Before the fair I make sure to review the list of companies. There are approximately 100 companies expected at each fair tomorrow! 

Career Fair Map
My favorite app feature is the career fair map! When I attend a career fair I usually feel slightly nervous about approaching a table, particularly if I've walked by it more than once. Even though I've done my homework before the fair, I can find myself waltzing around, not really knowing which company I should go to next. Basically, I look like a kid lost in a supermarket.( I wonder if recruiters have counted how many times I passed their table, and then comment when I finally approach.) This app ensures that you know exactly where each table is located in Gantcher, so no more aimless wandering. 

Career Fair Advice

I have given some career fair preparation advice in a previous post. However, with this app you don't even need my advice! The app's Career Fair 101 provides simple tips to make the most of the event. If you need last minute advice or a refresher on fair etiquette, you should check out this page! Fair 101 provides tips for how to research the companies at the fair, so you can refresh on their mission statement, what they do, and what's interesting about them. This app can help you come up with an intro about yourself or "elevator pitch." Essentially, this app is perfect for students who get overwhelmed by career fair preparation. Have no fear, this is what the app is for!

Enjoy the Fairs, my friends.  There are plenty of tips care of the new app, and so many opportunities, that's it's hard to make a case for not going.

Carpe Diem,
Nicole Brooks
Class of 2016

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Career Fairs: Not Just for Seniors Anymore

...And what you did is make the Tufts Career Fair a hit! 160 employers and over 1,100 students stopped by Gantcher on Wednesday to network, learn about job and internship opportunities, and hopefully begin the process of securing a post-graduation career!

Despite a few hiccups—I forgot my dress shoes and ties at home, so I had to borrow an explosively pink tie from my roommate and wear Sperrys, not to mention my epic wipeout while rushing to the Fair in the rain—I made it to the Fair shortly after it began. It certainly brought back memories of last year—confusion set in, but this time more muted, perhaps because of the lack of general anxiety that seems to pervade all of freshman year. After chatting with Nicole about live tweeting the fair (follow the Tufts Career Center on Twitter if you don’t already!) I took a lap around the fair to get an idea of what to expect. Although I personally didn’t come looking for an internship, I talked with several employers and students about the Career Fair and their thoughts on younger students’ attendance thereof:

Student Interviews: Shaan Shaikh, Alex Tong and Jenna Weinstein, members of the class of 2017.

Q: Why did you come to the Career Fair?

Shaan: “I’m looking for a summer internship.”

Alex: “Can’t hurt to look around and check it out.”

Jenna: “I’m hoping for an internship and some networking experience.”

Q: What made you decide to attend as a sophomore, when the general belief is that these events are meant for seniors?

Shaan: “There’s no harm in getting an early start, and it’s always good to learn how it works for when I come back next year!”

Alex: “Plus a lot of these companies will be here next year too, so meeting the recruiters now is a great conversation starter for the next time around.”

Jenna: “I want to start making connections as soon as I can. Plus it’s good practice to come now, when the stakes aren’t as high.”

Employer Interviews: Heather Woodcock, recruiter for the Shady Hill School Teaching Residency, and Elizabeth Morini, from DebtX Debt Exchange.

Q: What do you think are the benefits of coming to a college career fair?

Heather: “There are tremendous benefits. Events like these give students exposure to what’s out there, things they may not have known about. They can establish contacts, figure out what they really want in a career… The list goes on. I’d really encourage students to attend.”

Elizabeth: “It gives students an avenue to talk with multiple employers, and even find new interests. It’s a great learning experience overall.”

Q: Can any of these benefits be reaped by younger (non-senior) students?

Heather: “Certainly. Students can better plan about what they want. They can see what’s out there and not feel limited in their choice of careers.”

Elizabeth: “Off the top of my head, I think it’s an important learning experience. Students can practice talking to adults in a professional manner and get comfortable doing so.”

Q: What do you look for in an ideal candidate? What makes a student really stand out to you?

Heather: “I run a teaching program, so I’m interested in why a student wants to teach—what are their reasons for pursuing the field? I also look for people who are personable, passionate about teaching, and empathic. It’s definitely a function of personality. I don’t necessarily look at how a person dresses; personality and substance are definitely more important than appearance. I also am always interested in the types of questions students ask. It’s usually a pretty good indicator of who they are and what they’re looking for.”

Elizabeth: “I look for someone who is engaged and friendly. They definitely have to be personable. My rule is that if I make eye contact and smile, and they smile back, I know it’s going to be a good conversation.”

Maybe it’s the psychology major in me, but I’m intrigued by the similarities between the interviewees’ responses. All of the students, for example, mentioned that it’s great to get a head start, and the employers had similar opinions. Although both mentioned that they mostly recruit seniors, they seemed very open to talking with younger students as well—one of them even gave me a little career advice of my own after I explained my (rather confusing) situation to her!

I hope this post has shown what its title claims: the Career Fair isn’t limited to upperclassmen. If you think you’ll be all alone at the Fair as a freshman, think again—besides the people I interviewed, I saw countless other students with "2017" and “2018” scrawled on their name tags. If you didn’t get the opportunity to go this year, check out the spring Career Fair. It’s just one of the amazing resources available to you—take advantage of it!

Until next time,
Sean Boyden 
Class of 2017

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Quest to the Career Fair

Yesterday was the Career Fair! So exciting.

Even this puppy is excited, and he doesn't need a job!
Source

The Career Fair is one of the great opportunities Tufts students have to meet potential employers on campus. It's an excellent first step towards finding the career that suits you - where else will you have 150 employers in the same room, waiting to meet and talk to you? No matter what point you're at in the career search, going to any Career Fair isn't something you'll regret.

As a senior, I look at the Career Fair through a special lens - that of an impending future. I feel a lot more pressure now to attend the fair and make connections at this point. 

Each year I am becoming more and more like Squidward.
Source

Despite that pressure, I'm not going to let it intimidate me! This isn't my first Career Fair, and the right preparation will ensure that everything goes smoothly. This post will include some thoughts I had before attending the fair, and what I thought after.

PRE-FAIR THOUGHTS

• The Career Fair will include a good variety of employers, but I do know that the majority of them will be in the business, consulting, and science/technology fields, which I am not really interested in. There is only one law firm signed up for the fair, but that doesn't mean I'm out of luck!
• I can still take advantage of the fair by looking into employers who fall just outside my area of interest. This is especially true since I'm thinking about a gap year - many organizations that offer year-long experiences will be at the fair.
• A couple of places in particular have caught my eye - that being the one law firm (Paul Weiss) and year-long opportunities in education.
• I've done some research on the companies I'm interested in, and I've come up with some good questions to ask them.

UPDATE - POST-FAIR THOUGHTS

• The fair was very successful! As expected, most of the booths were outside of my field, but I still gained something from going.
• Doing an initial lap around the entire fair before speaking to anyone was helpful. I got a scope of all that was available to me, and I was able to note which booths I wanted to prioritize.
• At the fair I spoke to several organizations, including Paul Weiss (the law firm), City Year, Explo, and even Dropbox! It was great to see the array of opportunities.
• Paul Weiss offered some great information on a 2-year paralegal program they offer. They weren't accepting resumes at the fair, but I did sign up to be emailed when they start taking applications. (They also gave me a cool laundry bag!)
• City Year was another awesome booth I visited. I spoke to a Tufts alum who had reached out to me by email before the fair. She and her team members were very friendly and we had a great discussion about the work City Year does and how it relates to my interests. She even gave me a hand-out about City Year alums who transitioned into the legal field - glad to know I'm not the only one with that idea!

Overall, I was very pleased with my experience at the Career Fair. Even though the majority of booths didn't fall under my interests, the few that did were so worthwhile. Something to remember about Career Fairs is that the point isn't necessarily to visit as many booths as possible, but to make meaningful connections with potential employers. Quality over quantity!

Signing off (to write some thank you emails!),

Kelly Vieira

Class of 2015

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A Trial Run: Why I Attended the Career Fair as a Freshman, and Why You Should Too

For those of you who have been living under a rock, the Tufts Career Fair is this Wednesday, October 1st!

Are you as excited as Spongebob?
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In Nicole’s introductory post for the social media interns, she mentioned that I attended the Career Fair last year as a freshman. The experience was daunting, I’ll admit—walking around Gantcher surrounded by upperclassmen and employers all dressed in full business attire was not how I’d anticipated spending one of my first days on campus. In the end, though, the experience was so valuable that I recommend all underclassmen attend the Career Fair, at the very least for the opportunity to get the wrinkles out of your fancy clothes (which most of you probably haven’t worn since Fall Gala). I had many questions about what to do, what to say, what to wear—anything and everything (I’d been a college student for a month; adulthood is a rough transition). Most of these questions were answered simply by my going to the fair and experiencing it firsthand. Here are some of the questions I had, and my answers to them so that you’re slightly less clueless than I was.

Should I do any prep work?

The first time I even heard about the Career Fair last year was on the day it was happening, when one of my floormates walked by my room in a suit and asked me if I was going. I hadn’t been planning on it, but on a whim I offered to go with him and headed down to the fair. Although I wasn’t exactly looking for a job, I soon learned that this is not the proper way to approach a career fair. It’s important to do research on the companies that will be there, and maybe even make a prioritized list of employers that you plan on speaking with. It’s also important to prepare what you’ll say to employers. You may want to draft a small 30-second blurb about yourself and your interest in the organization, and practice it a few times beforehand.

The Career Center has myriad resources to aid your preparation, including a list of all the companies that will be at the fair—take a look at it here. If you couldn’t make it to the Prepare for the Fair event this past week, have no fear! There is a video series on the Career Center website featuring actual employers discussing this topic and many others. These videos are only 3 minutes long and full of great information. 

What do I wear?

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The ultimate question, and one that causes a surprising amount of stress for a lot of attendees. I had no idea what to wear last year, so I threw on a nice(ish) shirt and some slacks and hoped for the best. When I got to the fair, however, the majority of people were in suits or sports coats, with very few casually dressed people. For underclassmen who aren’t as concerned with finding a job, it isn’t extremely important that you wear business attire, but definitely don’t show up in jeans. It’s better to overdress than underdress, and overdressing might even leave a more lasting impression on employers. Use your judgment, and accept the blazer.

If I’m not looking for a job, what should I do? Why am I even bothering?

At the first table I approached, the employer made it clear that he was only looking for juniors and seniors and seemed unsure of why such a scared-looking freshman was talking to him. It was a discouraging first step, and you, too, may find that some employers aren’t looking for underclassmen. This does not mean there’s no experience to be gained. You can think of this career fair as a trial run—work on your presentation, practice handing out resumes and shaking hands, and most importantly, get comfortable talking to employers. This will make it far less intimidating and stressful when you're looking for a job in earnest. I really enjoyed the fact that I could gain this experience and face no real pressure to make significant headway in a job search.

Don’t completely write off the day as practice, though. Some companies might be looking for interns, and inquiring about availability can never hurt. Once you’ve spoken to a few employers and feel confident enough, find the organizations that you’re really interested in, and ask about any opportunities for younger students. You never know what will come from a simple conversation! 

Can I take all the free stuff?

The college student mantra.
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Four words: Don’t. Be. That. Guy. Yes, it’s super cool that there are free pens and key chains everywhere, and yes, you’re a college student on a budget now, but employers don’t appreciate you walking up to their table, feigning interest in them and their company, and then grabbing their swag and peacing out. It’s just not professional—it’s something you’d expect of a middle schooler, not a college student. Make an effort to connect with the employer, talk with him/her for a few minutes, and take one of their giveaways as you leave. I learned this lesson the hard way after a very awkward stare down with a guy who had really top-notch pens. To this day, I feel bad about that pen.

When the big day comes, put on your game face and get ready to be the bright, inquisitive, budding professional you are. Your sweatpants and Netflix will be waiting for you back in your room.

Until next time,

Sean Boyden

Class of 2017

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