Experts Provide Advice Ahead of Career Fair
Nearly 100 employers will be in attendance at Baxter Arena
- contact: Charley Reed - University Communications
- phone: 402.554.2129
On Tuesday, Feb. 23, the UNO Academic and Career Development Center (ACDC) will host the Spring 2016 Career Fair, where nearly 100 organizations will be on hand to fill internships, part-time jobs and full-time positions.
The event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Baxter Arena, will be open to all UNO student as well as UNO alumni. There is free parking at the Baxter Arena or you can utilize the red or green shuttle routes to Lot 26 and a Career Fair shuttle will be available to drop you directly at the Arena entrance.
However, before Tuesday's big day, experts from ACDC and the Omaha community have some tips to help you wow employers:
Five Things Employers Look For in Your Resume
Four Myths About Attending Career Fairs
Three Tips for Making the Most of Networking
Five Things Employers Look For in Your Résumé
Dakotah Taylor, Talent Advisor at First National Bank
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Leadership and Community Involvement
Employers are looking for candidates that possess certain skills that they will be a natural leader. This means in an individual contributor role and/or a manager role. We want YOU to give back to your community. Ask yourself “What’s my passion and what do I do for others?” -
Communication that is Clear and Concise
This is key! How do you communicate early on in your resume that you are the best person for the JOB?This is your entry point into the organization to see if you get the phone call for an interview. Be sure to remember that your communication continues through the interview process with verbal and non-verbal communication. Be YOU - be present and in the moment!
Tell us your story but do it in a professional way! Leave us wanting more so that you get the call for the interview!
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Education, Experience & Expertise
Tell us about your major, minor and GPA. Also, be sure to tell us about your career progression and how you have moved up in your current role or previous roles. Tell us where you excel so we can use your skills to help you find the best match! -
Branding
Your resume is YOUR brag sheet, YOUR brand, YOUR story – OWN it!This also means your social media is a representation of you. Check your channels; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Review, Review, Review
This is the “catchall” to everything…Check your spelling. Have your mom, dad or friend check your spelling. Then once more! Finally, take it to UNO ACDC for review!
Make sure your objective states the correct company name. Check the font, margins and size. Make sure it’s on one page. You want perfection!
Four Myths About Attending Career Fairs
DJ Carlson, ACDC Peer Advisor
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Myth: Career Fairs are only for business or technical majors.
Fact: There are going to be nearly 100 employers at this semester’s career fair. Many employers are not so much concerned with what your degree says. They are much more interested in the skills that you possess. In fact, over 50% of organizations registered for the Spring Career Fair have indicated they are open to recruiting students of all majors. -
Myth: I’m not a senior, I don’t need to go to the career fair.
Fact: Many of the employers that attend the Fair are not exclusively looking for full-time positions. Organizations attending will also be recruiting for part-time positions, internships, volunteers and graduate programs. -
Myth: It’s alright if you just “show up” at the career fair.
Fact: While it is okay to just show up, you want to ensure you prepare for this moment as much as you can. Bring multiple copies of your resume, dress business professional, and come prepared to introduce yourself to your future employer. -
Myth: I don’t have to worry about my career yet.
Fact: Putting your best foot forward and becoming proactive about your future begins now. It is never too early to start planning for your potential career, but there will come a time where it will be too late.
Three Tips for Making the Most of Networking
Britany Seda, ACDC Peer Advisor
Networking is something you hear constantly in the professional world, especially as you are looking for a job or internship during your college years.
Though it’s a common word, it often gets misinterpreted and overused. For example, when I think of networking, I often think of a room full of important people, of which I am supposed to shake hands, converse shortly with some small talk, obtain his or her contact information and hope he or she remembers me some time later when an opportunity arises.
Unfortunately, there’s a major problem with this philosophy. How many times do you remember someone or, more importantly, trust someone you met for a few minutes at an event and made some small talk with?
Networking is an art, not a science. It’s not something that comes with an instruction manual or is a one size fits all approach. Rather, networking is about building genuine relationships. How you build those relationships is up to you.
Here’s how I recommend approaching networking: Be genuine, remember that quality is better than quantity and follow up!
Be Genuine: Make meaningful conversation with the person you are meeting with. Don’t be so focused on your personal and career goals that you forget to ask about the person you are speaking with. You want to treat the interaction with respect, but also be friendly and learn about each other as people to develop a level of trust.
Quality not Quantity: Rather than having a goal of meeting as many people as possible, have the goal of making a couple strong connections. If you leave the gathering with a stack of business cards but without much comfort level to call any of them, then you’ve approached networking incorrectly. Instead, take time to converse and get to know a few people so you feel comfortable with them being contacts after your interaction.
Follow Up: If you really want to make an impression, don’t forget to follow up after the networking takes place, usually with a short email, especially if it’s a networking event. Take the extra step to thank them for taking the time to meet you and reflect on a couple of key points of the conversation you had. Likely, the person you are emailing met a lot of people at the event (like a career fair, for example) and this is a good way to remind them of who you are, so you don't get lost in the crowd.