“They didn’t have any jobs for my major at the career fair.”
I’ve heard this complaint every semester that I’ve been on a college campus (30!?). I’ve made this complaint. Repeatedly. If it’s valid, then one of two things must be true:
- The people planning career fairs are unintelligent, ignore results, and continue to put together useless events year after year.
- Some people (the ones who aren’t complaining) know how to use a career fair better than others.
“Where’s your GPA?”
As I completed my PhD I attended the career fail (specific to my major) and spent hours walking the aisles, waiting in lines, handing my resume to recruiters, and getting asked one thing: “Why isn’t your GPA on your resume”?
At the time, I was infuriated. In grad school, a B- is the lowest passing grade. Everyone’s GPA is high. After my 12 years of college, numerous publications about my work, awards at international conferences, and even managing a jet engine research lab, all they wanted to know was my stupid GPA?
I thought to myself that they must not know much about what a PhD means and left muttering about no opportunities for grad students at career fair. Looking back, and around at the lives of my students, I’ve come to realize that the issue isn’t a lack of opportunities at career fairs (say that out loud a few times to let yourself realize how ridiculous it sounds).
I (we) Earned It
I can’t help noticing that the more credentialed I got, the worse I was at career fairs. We think our credentials entitle us. We earned it. Strangely enough, my two most successful career fairs were my first:
- I got my first internship at career fair sophomore year. No skills, and I had just failed a course. What was different? I don’t remember details, but I do remember hearing a lot of “crazy college stories” from the recruiter. I got that job because I sparked an interesting conversation.
- I got my second internship by going to the recruiters’ seminar the night before career fair. He gave a presentation in a random classroom. I hung out after, waiting for all of the muggles chirping for jobs to leave, and then asked technical questions. I didn’t even mention the jobs or career fair. The recruiter got a chance to brag about the hard problems he had solved. When I approached him at career fair the next day, he didn’t even read my resume. He just scheduled the interview.
Hard-Working, Good Communicator
We spend hours the week before career fair tinkering with our resumes. We adjust the wording of each bullet, reformat the template, and agonize over fonts (Times or Helvetica?). We try to turn “grocery store bagger” into relevant experience (“product transportation engineer?”). Terrified of looking inexperienced, we fill the skills section with things like “MS Word,” which is funny because that’s not a skill (it’s a software package) and I don’t think it’s possible to graduate college these days without writing a paper or two…
We think that if we don’t get interviews that our resumes are to blame.
$90,000!!???
Meanwhile, the person earning the highest starting salary I’ve ever heard of for a BS graduate found his job at career fair. Middle of the road GPA, but had a story to tell. His friends left after 15 minutes because “there weren’t any jobs for their major.” He left with 12 interviews (same major).
How’d he do it?
Recruiters Are People, Too
Be interested, and interesting. Here are some thoughts to consider about recruiters at career fairs:
- They probably went to your school and are using this as an excuse to visit their alma mater on the company expense account (ever notice that there’s a home football game the week of career fair?).
- They probably love their jobs and love your school. Let them gush a bit and listen to them. They’ve been hearing student after student brag about credentials and try to tell them why they’re the best for the job (without even hearing what the job is). People want to be seen, heard, and understood. Stand out by giving the recruiters that gift.
- They’re wondering if they’d like working with you. You’ll be the face in the lunchroom and talking over the water cooler. Would you want to see you at work every Monday morning?
Most Important: Own Your Newness
They’re not looking for experts (or they’d be looking somewhere else). They’re looking for entry level people who can learn. Don’t impress with puffed up credentials, focus on how you overcome struggles and solve problems. That’s the story people need to hear from you.
