Preparation essential for attending career fairs, IBM recruiters say
Preparing for the career fair is just as important as attending, said IBM recruiters in a presentation Monday.
Recruiters Lois Berggren and Ken Stevens said they look for resumes specific to the job and distinguishable from others.
Berggren said the purpose of the career fair is networking. Keeping in contact with the recruiters increases the probability of landing an interview.
“Don’t expect the company to follow up with you,” Berggren said. Companies receive a high volume of resumes and can’t keep track of every one.
“If you really want that job, you’ve got to keep in touch with that recruiter,” she said.
Offering resumes to recruiters is also important. Berggren said she wants to see a candidate with passion for the work they are applying for.
Stevens said resumes should be geared specifically to a particular job. He said multiple resumes may be needed to cover multiple interests.
Because 180 companies are coming, students should pick 10 companies that fit specific needs and research them to find out exactly what kind of work is involved, Bergren said.
She said “spreading yourself too thin” is unproductive.
“We want you to tailor your experience to the job you want,” Stevens said. Making the experience listed on a resume coincide with the objective of the resume will help the recruiter know what job to offer.
Cover letters and references are not necessary for recruiters.
Stevens said listing key words on resumes and not paragraphs will make them easy to read. If a recruiter wants to know more, he or she will ask. Stevens said to be prepared to talk about projects and experience at the fair.
Berggren and Stevens both emphasized the importance of being specific, coming prepared with questions and being excited about entering the workforce.
The USU Career Fair will be held Wednesday in the Taggart Student Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.