The Real Deal: Why I Attended the Career Fair as a Senior, and Why You (Really) Should Too

For those of you who have faithfully followed my meteoric rise to blog fame from my humble beginnings as a sophomore, you may recall one of the first posts I ever wrote: it dealt with my first Career Fair, which I attended in the fall of my freshman year. Reading through that post, I can sense the anxiety and general confusion that pretty much characterized my first few years at Tufts when it came to career planning and general thoughts about the future. A lot has changed since then, and while my future is still not entirely defined, I like to think that I've gained a little bit more expertise when it comes to Career Fairs - especially when it comes to unfolding those plastic tablecloths (working for the Career Center will give you all kinds of weird skills).

This week, having just attended the 2017 Spring Career Fair last Friday, I thought I'd pay homage to that post I wrote back in 2014, not only in the title of this post but in a similar Q&A format as well. While my old post featured more "nuts and bolts" questions for a Career Fair rookie, I think I'll dedicate this one to future seniors who attend the Career Fair, with the hopes of gaining some networking connections or even a full-time job. Here's a true-to-life account of my last Tufts Career Fair.

Older me (right) looking at younger me (left). (All this reminiscing has got me nostalgic, which is probably why I've been watching so much season 1 Glee lately.)

Who should I talk to?

Short answer: as many people as you can. Longer, more realistic answer: do your research beforehand to figure this out. Look on Jumbo Jobs or download the "Tufts Career Fair Plus" smartphone app to get a list of companies in attendance - you can even search by position type, field of industry, or desired majors. Narrow down a list of companies you're interested in, and try to hit as many of their tables as you can. A frequent comment I get when talking to students in the Career Center is that "there's no one at the Career Fair who I'd be interested in working for." Don't be took quick to assume this, however. Last week at the Fair, I started a conversation with a representative from Harvard Medical School, and when I told her I was interested in clinical research positions, her first response was "Oh, I don't know if we have any of those." At first I was disappointed, but immediately after that she offered to take a copy of resume and pass it on to other recruiters in clinical research departments. You never know how a conversation will go until you actually have it.

What should I say?

At every Career Fair before this most recent one, I had a pretty similar elevator pitch. It went something like, "Hi, I'm Sean, I'm a freshman/sophomore/junior majoring Biopsychology and Community Health, I'm interested in exploring research in a public health or biomedical setting, are there any internships available that I should look into?" Now that my internship search days are behind me, I've had to modify this script a little bit. Years of working Career Fairs, and speaking unofficially with lots of employers, has taught me a lot about the ideal Career Fair student. In general, I've come to find that recruiters are looking for articulate, personable people with a pretty clear idea of what they want to do both short-term and long-term. This can be a daunting thought for some seniors (myself included), but there are ways to express your goals while also conveying your uncertainty. Last week, I found myself saying something like this: "Hi, I'm Sean, I'm a senior majoring in Biopsychology and Community Health. I'm interested in going to graduate school someday, but I really want to gain experience in clinical research before pursuing a higher degree. Do you know of any openings that could be of interest to me?" I like to think this is a little more polished, but remains true to my interests and plans for the future.

Channel your inner Rachel when it comes to Career Fair preparation.

But really, will I actually get a job out of this?

In true SWUG fashion, I find myself embracing cynicism more and more every day. So I totally get this question. But, then I remind myself that I'd never actually applied to one of those internship postings I got in an email blast before I got my internship at Brigham and Women's. Working in the Career Center, I hear from both students and employers about lots of internships and jobs that came from a visit to the Career Fair! So, I need to remember not to discount the Career Fair before I've really given it a chance. The only way you'll get a job out of the Career Fair is if you go and give it your all. (*leads team in morale-boosting locker room chant*)

So, it's with a single tear rolling down my cheek and a craving for coffee and sandwiches from Dave's Fresh Pasta that I bid farewell to the Tufts Career Fairs. Realistically, I will probably be back, because the Career Center is never ever ever getting rid of me (pardon the musical reference, but I saw Waitress on Broadway last weekend and couldn't not incorporate it into a post). To the future seniors reading this, I hope you attend the Career Fair this fall and/or next spring, and make the most out of one of the Career Center's biggest and best resources for Tufts students every semester. And if nothing else, you'll get tons of free water bottles and key chains.

Seriously, go see Waitress. It'll change you.

Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017

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Get on the Elevator: Networking at the Career Fair

Get excited, y'all - the Fall Career Fair is less than a week away.

Nina and Nicole are writing great posts about the Career Fair experience as a whole, so I thought that I'd dig a little more into one of the more confusing and stressful parts of the Career Fair: the talking part. In the professional world, "talking" goes by the fancier name of "networking". And for some reason, giving it a fancier name really freaks some people out. But networking is nothing more than talking with the right people.

At the Career Fair, networking takes on a short and simple form, affectionately referred to as the elevator pitch. The elevator pitch is a brief (20-30 seconds) speech about yourself, your interests, and your goals that you can use to begin a fast conversation with an employer. Given the massive amount of people employers have to talk to in such a limited amount of time, the elevator pitch is both a networking tool and a solution to a classic problem. However, this brevity is exactly what makes the elevator pitch so difficult for students to grasp. How can we summarize ourselves in a single soundbyte?

Fortunately for us, there are Career Center tips and resources that are available to master the elevator pitch. These will come in handy not only at the Career Fair, but in other professional settings in which networking must be done quickly. (Remember, 75% of jobs are found through networking, so this is not something to shy away from!)

Prepare it in advance. As college students, we're no strangers to procrastination and winging it. Most of us probably never even think to practice and prepare an elevator pitch beforehand. But the elevator pitch is one thing you really don't want to improvise. First impressions are everything in networking, and if your elevator pitch sounds sloppy, it could mean bad things for your relationship with employers. Think about yourself, what you want employers to know about you, and how to express these things, and incorporate them into a concise, clear script that you can practice (out loud!) beforehand. You might even want to tailor your pitch to different companies if the fields they come from or the positions they're offering vary.

Check out the Career Center resources. As always, the Career Center can be your best source of information for elevator pitch development. Their networking guide has a section devoted to elevator pitches and how to prepare them. Additionally, there are some great video resources on the Career Center website that you can utilize. These resources, Candid Career and Career Spots, include videos specifically for preparing an elevator pitch and navigating a career fair. Check them out for some great advice from members of the professional world.

Relax when the big day arrives. The Career Fair can be a stressful event. So many students, so many employers, and all of them are talking about the big and scary future. The simple experience of being in Gantcher, with all your suited-up peers swarming around you, can overstimulate you into panic. But don't let it affect you - if your voice comes out shaky and fearful, you won't leave a recruiter with an accurate representation of the suave and confident person you are (when you're dancing alone in your room). Remember that you introduce yourself to people all the time - and it's even easier now that you know exactly what you're going to say.

I talk the talk a lot on this blog - more faithful readers might even fall under the (mostly false) impression that I'm a put-together person who's right on track and has all the career development answers. But rarely do I walk the walk - mostly because it's hard to show walking via blog posts. So, I'll try to change that by sharing with you a sample elevator pitch - one that I crafted for last year's Career Fair (and have since updated) for myself. Although this is by no means a perfect example, or one that you should use a template (everyone's elevator pitch is different), it can give you an idea of what students can say to establish a first connection with an employer. Here it is:

"Hi, I'm Sean Boyden. I'm a current junior at Tufts, majoring in biopsychology and community health. I'm looking to enter the healthcare field, likely a clinical position, and would love to hear any advice you have or opportunities you know about for people in my position."

My elevator pitch is one that's clearly used by a college student - if I were looking for a full-time job, it would probably be more sophisticated (or targeted to a specific position an organization is recruiting for at the career fair). But, this is what I came up with, what I practiced, and what I said (and continue to say) to employers. I hope that, in seeing mine, you realize that an elevator pitch is not some vague, abstract concept - it's an easy little blurb that, while simple at first glance, can really make a difference in your professional development.

So before you trek to Gantcher next Wednesday, make sure that you bring your game face, your resume, and a well-prepared elevator pitch.

Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017

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Career Fair Advice: "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail"

The highly anticipated Tufts Career Fair is coming up. Too soon? Not ready? Didn't we just get here a few weeks ago? These are some of the thoughts cycling through students' minds as we brush off the cobwebs from summer break. As we reset to "school mode" many of us should take advantage of the Career Fair. It's a great start to ensuring a successful year and may be just the spark you need to get the ball rolling.

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Presidential swag

Career Fairs can be a little scary. That, I will admit. The hundreds of recruiters and organizations can seem overwhelming, especially as it's held in the Gantcher Center. An important realization about the Career Fair is that these employers aren't only there for you to meet them, they are there to meet you! Here is a list of the companies attending the Career Fair on October 1st. This is the largest number of employers ever to attend the Tufts Career Fair, so be sure to look over the list before you attend.

Let's walk through the steps toward guaranteeing you will take full advantage of the the Career Fair.

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"Even Tom Brady needs help with his resume"

PREPARATION:

One of my favorite quotes is by late UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden. He said, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Preparation for the career fair is the first step to victory.

• Business Attire & Things to Bring
• Here's advice from Pinterest on what women and men should wear to a Career Fair.
• First impressions are key to ensuring you are "swagtastic."
• Resume Critique
• The Career Center has posted times specifically for Resume Critiques before the Career Fair.
• Also feel free to come to Drop-In Hours at the Career Center.
• Preparing an Introduction
• Your script should be tailored to each company you approach.
• Make lists of talking points referring to your skills, experiences, and past projects that are relevant to that particular company.
• It's your own personal elevator pitch. Be sure to follow the structure of this short video made by Mississippi State.
• Practice out loud!
• Personal Branding
• Ask your friends three words that define you. (Hopefully, they are positive!) You can use these descriptors to market your appeal to companies.  Make this your new motto.
• Here is PriceWaterhouseCooper's take on personal branding that can help you stand out among other applicants.
• Researching Companies
• Review the list of organizations and the positions they're looking to fill, and see which ones jump out at you.  Then, do your research.
• Conducting company research is a science.  Quintessential Careers has an EXCELLENT Guide to Researching Companies, Industries and Countries.
• Come up with smart questions that you're really interested in getting answered, tailored, of course, to the company.
• Even if the company doesn't offer the internship/job you are looking for, you can still approach with a smart question. Opening doors to a networking opportunity is an easy task for the Career Fair!

DURING THE FAIR:

Relax. The most time-consuming part is the preparation, and that's over! Now it's time to reap the benefits of your hard work and test your intro. When all else fails, just be yourself. I attended a Pre-Law Panel last week, and one of the main themes that the admissions counselors covered was being genuine. Recruiters don't have cardboard cut-outs of who they will and will not hire. Usually, they look for people they think will thrive within the company culture, have the skills needed for the position and who they can see themselves working with. Here are some Dos and Don'ts to make sure that you've covered all the bases.

TO DO:

• Walk around the entire Fair to get an idea of where the companies you want to target are located
• Find your first company to practice using your script
• Practice makes perfect right? So find a company just to dust off the cobwebs, so you can get ready for other companies later
• Ask questions
• Questions reveal that you are serious about the job and you realize it's not just a one-way conversation
• Engage the recruiter and display how much you know about the company. Ask them about their own career path 
• Good questions to ask:
• How can I better market myself to be the type of candidate your company is looking for?
• What specific skills are you looking for? Technology skills? (Excel, Photoshop, etc.)
• How can I best prepare myself for entering this industry or company?
• What was one of the best projects you've been involved with at the company? the most challenging?
• What type of tasks will an intern/entry-level employee be involved with?
• What's the workplace culture like?
• Ask if they are taking resumes and provide a copy
• Ask for a business card or email so you can follow up with questions

NOT TO DO:

• Drop your resume off without a conversation
• Interrupt other conversations
• Just go for the giveaways
• Include too many filler words 
• Avoid words such as "like" "actually" and "umm". You want to demonstrate good communication skills, and these words don't add value to the conversation. ("like" is one of my Dad's pet peeves).
• TIME Magazine just wrote a post on how one word can immediately destroy your credibility. So choose your words wisely!

AFTER THE FAIR:

Don't forget the follow-up. This is one of the most important things about networking in business! Don't be afraid to follow-up, thanking them for their time speaking with you at the fair. In the message, be sure to distinguish yourself so that they remember you by referencing your conversation. Attach your resume to the follow-up email.  Final step: Apply!

Carpe Diem,

Nicole Brooks
Class of 2016

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