The Resume Playbook: 
Competing for Career Fair Success
By Amber Pride, Chief Writing Officer
Right Resumes Worldwide, Inc. (www.resumelounge.com)

Career fairs represent an opportunity to breathe life into your job search.  Where else can you walk into a room knowing that dozens of employers who are looking to hire will be present and willing to discuss opportunities?  The most successful career fair attendees recognize this, but they also recognize something else; career fairs are highly competitive, attracting hundreds, if not thousands of job seekers over the course of a few hours.  When it is all said and done, each recruiter is left with a pile of resumes from which any decision to interview will be made.  The questions you must ask yourself are, how will your resume measure up against everyone else’s and will your phone be ringing with interview invitations in the days that follow? 

The Pre-Game
If you have ever been a fan of competitive sports, you have probably heard the saying that games are won or lost on the practice field.  ‘Winning’ at career fairs is no different and you can’t even play in the game if your resume does not position you to be competitive. So, with days left to prepare and the knowledge that you have a few moments to make a favorable impression, how do you pull this off? 

Do your homework beforehand and research the participating companies you are interested in before attending the fair.  Career fairs often have websites that will provide information on participating companies and a list of positions they are hiring for. Make sure that your resume reflects your ability to step into the position you are interested in.  While doing this, don’t simply seek to show what you are capable of, but keep in mind the company’s ideal candidate and what might be on that person’s resume. 

Is company ABC looking for an IT professional with 10 years of experience managing the entire lifecycle of complex projects?  Then everything included in your resume should support your claim that you are this ideal candidate.  Match up your experiences with the company’s wish list (also known as qualifications, required, or preferred skills) to make your resume really stand out. 

This goes for your cover letter as well.  If the company you have always wanted to work for will be participating, seize the opportunity to create a cover letter targeted specifically to them.  In a sea of more generic cover letters (if any), you will stand out and the letter will serve as a testament to your professionalism and commitment to your career. 

The Playbook
You’ve prepared your resume and cover letter and gotten to the front of the line.  What now?  Summarize your resume verbally with a brief introduction, also known as your elevator pitch (approximately 30 seconds).  Define who you are and what value you can bring to their company as an employee.  Wow them by being personable, ask questions, and tell them what you are capable of doing.  Remember all of that ‘pre-game’ preparation?  This is where all of your research and hard work comes in handy.  Advertise your skills to address the company’s unique needs.

Fourth Quarter
Now that you have set the stage, get the recruiter’s contact information.  This is the goal of all your hard work.  If you have properly followed steps 1 and 2, most of the recruiters will be happy to share their business cards with you.  If the recruiter doesn’t have a card, ask for his or her email address.  This is like gold—armed with a competitive resume, cover letter, and the contact information of an internal recruiter, you now have a warm referral into a company you would like to work for.  

At this point, you should understand why so much emphasis is placed on your resume.  If you are able to make an impression in person, your resume lingers as your ‘career representative’ long after the career fair is over.  It can either serve to support your candidacy by demonstrating your knowledge of what the company is looking for and highlighting your distinguishing qualifications, or deflate all of your hard work if the resume does not withstand scrutiny later in the hiring process. 

Always remember that several people are involved in hiring decisions, so while one recruiter met you and might have positive things to say, at some point your resume will still be judged against resumes from people competing for the same position.

But you now have a distinct advantage.  If you follow the steps outlined in this article, you will see your success rate at career fairs climb.