For the first time in many years Keele is having a Graduate Careers Fair. On the 19th February from 10.30 - 3.30 Keele Hall is throwing its historic doors open for students to come and meet employers who are offering graduate opportunities.
The list of employers is an impressive one there will be names you recognise and perhaps some you don't, what they all have in common is that they want to recruit from Keele. They are interested in the skills and attitudes you bring to their organisation, some will ask for a specific degree discipline and others are happy to recruit from any academic programme.
Meeting employers can be a bit daunting so here are some ways to make the most of the experience.
Before the Fair
- Have an open mind – the employers represented may offer opportunities you may not have considered before, you may be surprised at the diversity some employers have within their organisations. Find out as much as you can about the possible career paths.
- Research the employers and the roles - Most recruiters will expect you to know something about them and to have a reason for approaching them specifically. You can see which employers are attending on the fair website. If you have an interest in any of them, look at their recruitment and information web pages in order that you can prepare questions for them. These may be about recruitment, training or career progression. Even if you don’t have any clear ideas do think about general questions that might benefit your career choice and job hunting.
- Be Proactive - If you have a specific career or company in mind, be ready to explain your interest, show motivation for and understanding of the specialisation and working culture - as much as possible at this stage!
- First impressions - Present yourself as a future professional. Dress as a potential employee rather than a student and you will be perceived as such.
- Prepare an introduction – Careers Fairs are great places to network/make introductions with employers so of course it is important to make a positive impression. Think about how you will introduce yourself. Employers may also be interested in your degree, work experience and other activities.
- Have confidence in yourself - You are soon to be a graduate with a range of knowledge and skills to offer. Be positive about your future and the contribution you can make to an employer.
At the fair
- Be positive, polite and smile when approaching employers. Developing a good rapport or first impression with someone makes it more likely that they will help you and could be remembered if you make an application in the future. Tips to help you do this include: show interest, ask questions, be aware of your non-verbal communication, smiling, handshake, and eye contact.
- Ensure you visit targeted employers – these stands should be your priority. However a careers fair also gives you the opportunity to find out about employers and career sectors that you may not have considered before.
- Come and see one of the Careers Advisers – we will be there to check CVs and offer advice and guidance on applications and career planning.
We hope that you will come and enjoy exploring some of your options, and talking to employers and staff from Keele.
You could even win a cute Keele Squirrel !
You could even win a cute Keele Squirrel !
