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Career Fairs: 5 Tips to help you put your best foot forward!

Career fairs are a great opportunity to connect with employers in your community, to learn more about their organizations and the types of opportunities they have available and also to discover organizations and industries that may not have been on your radar to begin with.

We know that career fairs can be busy and overwhelming so we wanted to share some tips for getting the most out of the experience.
Here are 5 tips that will help you navigate your next career fair:

1. Do Your Research

Before attending the event, check out the online exhibitor list provided by the organizers and visit their websites. s. It’s good to know which employers you’re interested in and to do some research on the roles and undertand the programs they may have that are targeted to students and new grads . To find out which roles in the insurance industry might be a great fit for you try taking our quiz!

2. Come Prepared

Have an up to date resume at the ready (including a few printed copies) and some questions ready to ask the employers you’re meeting with. Remember that these interactions are potentially your first impression with your future employer. By having a couple of thoughtful questions ready that show you’ve done your research you are putting your best foot forward and are more likely to make a memorable impression. If you’re able to find out which positions the organizations you’re interested in are hiring for and can prepare a targeted resume to bring along, that’s also beneficial. To prepare a strong resume for roles in the insurance industry, check out our tips.

3. Dress Appropriately

Back to making a good first impression – you don’t necessarily need to show up to a career fair in a suit and tie but the way you present yourself is important, so be sure to put some thought into your attire for the event, business casual is always a safe bet.

4. Be Open Minded

Don’t be surprised if you find that your education and experience may be a great fit for organizations or industries (like insurance) that you might not have considered. If you come across an employer or industry that you’re not familiar with, stop and ask some questions. We often meet people that assume the insurance industry is only suited for those interested in sales roles or that you have to be good at math to work in insurance, which couldn’t be further from the truth – there are a variety of roles for people with different interests and experiences. The more open minded you are, the more opportunities you will be exposed to!

5. Collect contact information and Follow up

If you feel you’ve made a good connection with an employer that you’re interested in be sure to ask for their business card, indicate your interest in following up with them, and find out how they would prefer you do that. Some may want to connect via LinkedIn, others may want you to send a note or resume via email. Just be sure to respect their wishes when it comes to your method of follow up.

If you’d like to learn more or get answers to your questions about careers in the insurance industry check out our events schedule to see when we’ll be on a campus near you!