Megan Riksen:

Hello and welcome to the Work Like a Laker podcast. I'm Megan Riksen, and today I'm joined by my co-host Brian Bossick. Hi Brian.

Brian Bossick:

Hi Megan.

Megan Riksen:

And in today's episode, we are getting you ready for the GVSU Career and Internship Fair. So we're talking all things of preparation, how, how you can prepare for this event.

Brian Bossick:

Career fairs are a great opportunity for students to explore their career options and network with potential employers. But it can also be a bit overwhelming especially if it's your first time attending one. So let's dive in and discuss how to prepare for a successful experience at the career fair.

Megan Riksen:

Awesome. So yeah, we have a bunch of tips today. We always like a good tip episode. So kind of step one, if you're getting prepared for the career fair, I think a really good first step is to actually start to research the companies that will be attending. It really kind of sets the stage for how you're going to approach the rest of your preparation if you know maybe a little bit of who you wanna talk to first. And we have lots of ways for you to do this. So all of the companies who are coming we'll have registered through Handshake. So you can go into the event in Handshake on your laptop or download the Handshake app and you can see all of the companies. It's actually quite handy that way because then you can click and you can go into the company's profile and like boom, you know, like automatically doing some research just by kind of reading their little bio. What are they do, what are they all about? There's gonna be links to their website and likely to their career page as well.

Brian Bossick:

And it's all right there.

Megan Riksen:

And it's all right there. You don't have to go anywhere else. And then on our career fair prep page, which we will certainly put in the show notes it also is a great spot to go 'cause we have grouped the companies attending career fair by career community, which is super helpful. So if you're looking to go into a STEM area, check out the companies that we've put under the STEM career community on the prep page, so we do a little bit of the work for you. Right.

Brian Bossick:

And what a great way to explore, right? You may find something you didn't even know you were interested in.

Megan Riksen:

Exactly, yes. Because yeah, if we have over 200 companies coming, I guarantee you haven't heard of all of them.

Brian Bossick:

And I'm guessing too, like you probably haven't thought about all the different positions each company's gonna offer, right?

Megan Riksen:

Definitely not. Yeah. There's gonna be some surprises. That's right. So yeah, surprise yourself before the fair's by getting ready, <laugh> and doing your research. So yeah, look at those handshake profiles, those company websites. And as you're doing that, just kind of start thinking through what does this company do? What open positions do they have? Where might that, you know, fit with what I'm looking for? What attracts me to this organization? You know, I think there's so many companies that on the face of them you might think, eh, that doesn't sound that interesting. Right? I'm thinking about an organization actually that we just visited a little while ago called Alro Steel, which is a steel company. Doesn't sound like everybody, you know, is like, Ooh, let me work for a steel company. But once we got in and we got to see the culture and it's really team oriented and everybody was so friendly and kind, and everybody seemed happy to be working there, right. You know, give some of these employers a chance that you might not have heard of or that might even be in an industry you hadn't considered.

Brian Bossick:

And just thinking about how many different roles and jobs they will need.

Megan Riksen:

Exactly.

Brian Bossick:

That, that help run a full company.

Megan Riksen:

Yes. Yeah. It's not just the people like producing the steel. Right. There's, there's a lot to support that.

Brian Bossick:

Yeah. That's a great point. So after you've done your research a little bit, trying to figure out who do you wanna talk to, step to create some questions that you wanna ask those companies and their representatives this is a great way to show them that you're really interested. So as you go to a table, as you approach an organization it shows that you're invested in what they do and that you've taken the time as well to kind of see how it's a good fit for you. And that will make your interaction so much better because you're, you're coming as a knowledgeable consumer. You're coming as someone who's committed. And yes, when I think about what representatives remember, it's those folks that are invested, right? That really come with the energy.

Megan Riksen:

That's a great way to make a fantastic first impression.

Brian Bossick:

Exactly. And if you follow up, which we will suggest that you do, it's one way for them to remember you too, that you ask these great questions and that you were there. So that begs the question of what questions you asked. So here's a couple to think about. Ask about a specific job, and it doesn't have to be one if you see two or three things that look interesting,

Megan Riksen:

By all means have at it!

Brian Bossick:

Dive in. Ask, talk to them about that. Ask about the hiring process and what does that look like? Especially if this is an internship, let's say, and you're wondering what's the timeline? How does that go? Ask about the recruiter's experience. So the person there, they're a wonderful lens into the company for sure. To see what it's, what have they experienced, how did they get there, what's their role, how has it changed, what do they like?

Megan Riksen:

And that's just great conversation making, right? You're showing an interest in someone else. It becomes more two-sided it.

Brian Bossick:

Exactly. And I really feel like when we, we talk about networking, right? This breaks networking down into something that's not so scary. Just having a conversation.

Megan Riksen:

Yes. Yes.

Brian Bossick:

Also ask about growth and development there. If someone is hired into the company, what's that progression look like? What is their year one to year two, and how do they invest in your own growth and development? Ask about the company culture. Megan mentioned on the company visit to the steel company that you got a great sense of the culture.

Megan Riksen:

You just felt it.

Brian Bossick:

And I think having somebody talk about that can start to give you an eye into that world. And lastly, ask how you can stay in touch. Do they want your resume? Do they want a business card? Do they want emailing them? What is the best way for you to follow up?

Megan Riksen:

I think that's a great tip because you might feel we, as Brian said, follow up.

Brian Bossick:

Yeah. Yes. Please follow up.

Megan Riksen:

That's definitely good. And we're gonna talk more about that. But if you know their preferred way of doing that, you know, I know it can really run the gamut because some might be like, oh yeah, definitely connect with me on LinkedIn. I'm on LinkedIn all the time. Others might be like, here's my card. You should certainly just email me your resume. Others might even be a little, you know, more interested and be like, you need to call me and set up a time to come and tour our facilities. Right. So you don't know what can come from that question, so might as well ask it.

Brian Bossick:

And you don't want your message to get lost. Right. So make sure you're being the most efficient at doing that.

Megan Riksen:

Yeah. That's great. Yeah. Okay. Step three is to think about your resume, right? A resume is a tool you're gonna wanna bring along with you to the career fair. It's probably one of the first things that you'll kind of be sharing with somebody, right? So they can kind of have that quick at a glance, look at who you are while you're kind of verbally explaining who you are. So you wanna make sure that, you know, your resume is tailored to the types of things that you're hoping to pursue. So if you're looking for an internship and you know you wanna do it in a specific area, let's make sure that you're kind of highlighting relevant skills and experiences to that area. So this is, you know, just kind of resume writing 101. You always want to tailor it to the audience, right? So it has to be maybe a little bit more general for a career fair, because hopefully you're talking to multiple employers. So, you know, you can't just like zero in on one. But I think you can still, especially if you've kind of gone through step one and step two of kind of the research and thinking about questions you wanna ask, and really diving into the organizations you're gonna talk to that it'll kind of just flow that you'll, you'll have some new ideas of things that should be incorporated on your resume.

Brian Bossick:

Exactly. And making it easy for them to see the things you want them to see.

Megan Riksen:

Exactly. Yeah. And we can help with that in the career center. Our career lab is open every day. Come on in. We also offer virtual hours from 11 to six every day. So have your materials reviewed either by your career advisor, by someone in career lab, even faculty members can be great people. Your roommates, you know, <laugh>. Just let's get some eyes on it because people can always kind of help. But I think starting with the Career Center is a good idea. And we also have a tool called Resume AI. You know, we hear a lot about artificial intelligence now, right. And it can be really helpful with resumes. So you actually can go on our website and we'll link directly to this as well, but it's it's through a program that you might already know called Big Interview. And now they have a, a resume component where you can upload your resume and it actually scans it and gives you ideas for what is missing. Keywords. You could be adding just a ton of stuff, and you can do that just right from home.

Brian Bossick:

Put a great way to dive in. That's, that's awesome. Yeah.

Megan Riksen:

Exactly.

Brian Bossick:

Yeah. All right. Step four. This, this is the part that sometimes I think you're, you're ready, you've prepared, you've thought about it, and then you show up to the table to talk to somebody, and then what do you say? So step four is about that is preparing your introduction and you wanna have a polished 32nd or less speech to introduce yourself to the employer. That will help to initiate the conversation. I think sometimes this is the hardest part for folks. It's like, you've done the research -

Megan Riksen:

It's so scary.

Brian Bossick:

Yeah. It really is. Like what do you say? And, and how do you say it? So let's talk about what do you include in your introduction, talk about your name, your major and minors year in school career goals, and why you're interested in the organization, how it fits for you. I think those are great things to talk about. This is one of those things that you, you wanna practice. That way if you are nervous and you find like your mind goes blank, you've got something to fall back on.

Megan Riksen:

Yeah, exactly. Or the opposite that you're rambling.

Brian Bossick:

That too. Yes, yes. Exactly. That, that's so true, right? That you're not going for three minutes. Yeah. so practice this, practice it with a roommate, practice it with a career advisor. Have somebody just listen and, and ask, Hey, did I get my point across? Okay. Exactly. One of the best ways to, if you wanna learn more about this we have a past podcast called How to Introduce Yourself and which includes lots of great tips. We will link that in our show notes. If you want -

Megan Riksen:

We go really in depth there.

Brian Bossick:

Yes, exactly. So it will really help you put that together too.

Megan Riksen:

Absolutely. Okay. Step five is to prepare what you're going to wear. I think this is another piece that seems really daunting because You think about wearing a suit and, you know, do I have to wear a suit? All of that good stuff. So our, our kind of rule of thumb and the way we describe how to dress for a career fair is, you know, you wanna, you wanna look professional. But that doesn't absolutely mean that it has to be a suit, especially if you don't already have one. Now, if you have one and it fits fabulous, wear it, you know? But if you don't, it's okay to wear things that might fall a little bit more on, you know, the business casual side, but like, yeah. A, a clean well-fitting shirt, pants that are not jeans, you know, shoes that are comfortable but still professional and appropriate. That's just, yeah. It's gonna help your confidence. It's gonna help you make a better first impression. So yeah. Don't get too worried. But we can help with that too, you know, if you want advice on that. So dress in the best you have. If you are like, I think I need to go out and, and get some things. There are great options for secondhand. Absolutely. Right. Do some thrifting, go to Goodwill. You're gonna, you're gonna find some things. So don't feel like you need to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on this. I think you can do a nice job with, with secondhand clothes as well. And then we do twice a semester do an event called Suit Up which is at JCPenney and they offer like really, really great discounts on career apparel. So be on the lookout for those events too.

Brian Bossick:

Excellent. So now that you are prepped and ready, so let's talk about the day of the fair. So you've done this research, you've thought about things on the day, arrive early and plan your route. So as you get there, you'll have a map, you can kind of see what the layout is and one of the best things you wanna do to help with anxiety, but also help with a plan and being efficient is figure out where you want to go and what's the route that you want to take to go there. Make sure you have a pen and a notepad to take notes and exchange contact information with employers. And at the career center, we have pad folios that can help you organize your resumes and your notes so you feel put together and ready to go. Ready, ready to take this on.

Megan Riksen:

Yeah, it kind of helps with what you're wearing, right? That's like a part of this like package you're presenting.

Brian Bossick:

Exactly. Yeah. If you feel cluttered with your stuff put it in the padfolio. Right. It looks really organized and you can open it and it's right there. Yes. couple things to keep think about. One thing we started just recently is we have what's called the ready room. So right after you check in, there's a room there with tables and there's water and cookies and career center staff. And it's a place where you can collect your breath and plot your plan. Yep. Right? So if you haven't thought about your plan yet, or you just wanna review it or you wanna ask questions as you're about to start, it is a great place to kind of go and just get ready to jump in there.

Megan Riksen:

Exactly. And that you can come to multiple times. So, you know, let's say you went in and you didn't have the best conversation with an employer, right? Come back, get your feet underneath you again, relax, you know, don't just go right away to the next employer feeling all stressed out about, you know, what you said in the last conversation, come and chat with a career advisor, you know, we can kind of pump you up and get you ready to get back out there.

Brian Bossick:

That's right. And reset. I think the reset is such a key point. And then the last thing to think about as you think about getting down there one of the great options too is the, is the Laker line. So the Laker line, if you're leaving from Allendale, if you're leaving from DeVos wherever you go you can jump on the Laker line and it actually stops right off in front of DeVos place.

Megan Riksen:

It's super handy.

Brian Bossick:

So that takes the stress out of driving parking, all that.

Megan Riksen:

It does. Parking's expensive. It often fills up. I would take the bus or walk if it's a nice day, right?

Brian Bossick:

Yes, exactly. So that would be another option just to help you as you're getting prepared and going down there.

Megan Riksen:

Yep, for sure. Awesome. So yeah, when you're meeting employers at the fair, I just wanted to make sure we kind of mentioned this. You know, we've talked through how to get ready beforehand, how to introduce yourself, but be aware that, you know, you want a firm handshake, you want to be aware of your body language, you want to smile, right. Maintain eye contact. All those just good pieces of having a conversation with someone are even that much more important when you're meeting brand new people who you're trying to make a great impression with. So now, you know, use your introduction that you've prepared the questions, have them ready to go so that you can kind of start that conversation, show your interest in the company, get to know about their open positions, all that good stuff.

Brian Bossick:

Excellent. And lastly, as Megan and I mentioned before, so once you've had this conversation, once you are done with the fair follow up and the best way as you talk to those employers and they will say, hey, this is the best way to follow up. Then follow that advice. Do it. And whether that's an email, a phone call, Linkedin, however that is, and say thank you, thank you for taking the time to meet, express your interest in following up again, follow up with any further questions, all those different things, but make sure you follow up.

Megan Riksen:

Yeah. That really is the building block for hopefully working with that organization more, even if you don't end up working there ever. It still is a good connection point to someone.

Brian Bossick:

Yeah. Those are the type of relationships sometimes too, that even if you don't work there, maybe that's somebody, if you have a question, they become like a help, a reference. That's so many different things.

Megan Riksen:

Yeah. So many different things. Awesome. Cool. All right, well we kept it, I think, pretty short here. Hopefully it gave you some good tips and tidbits. We hope you found it helpful as you prepare for the career fair. And we hope you come. So thank you so much to everyone for listening, and we hope you tune in to a future episode soon.