Written by Jamie Murphy.
If you’re on the look-out for jobs, June and July bring a programme of recruitment fairs with hundreds of companies launching recruitment drives for graduates across the country. The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services is hosting 21 summer fairs throughout the UK. The fairs will hold exhibitions of various companies and organisations, with representatives on stalls to promote the schemes and vacancies they are recruiting for and give you a view on what working there is like. Which is ideal if you have been tied up with other concerns, as Andrew Whitmore, senior manager of the University of Manchester and UMIST Careers Service, points out: ‘The fairs represent a major opportunity for those who have delayed their job search until after finals or those who have tried but haven’t got lucky yet.’ These are a perfect opportunity for selling yourself to a potential employer. Duncan Forbes, people and development manager at Asda, who will be attending a large number of these fairs, says: ‘Eighty per cent of the time the person standing at the stall is either going to be the resourcing manager or the recruitment manager of the company. And they are the people who make the decisions about who to take on.’ Given the importance this opportunity could have on your career, preparation is essential. Find out who is exhibiting, and research the companies or sector you’d like to join and what areas companies are recruiting in. Also think of questions to ask that will help you compare companies and, most importantly, decide what you want out of a career. Andrew Whitmore suggests you practise your approach by talking to a few less-preferred companies. ‘Leave your favourite companies until you’ve mastered your nerves,’ he says. Recruiters at the stalls, says Duncan Forbes, are ‘looking for a professional attitude. Candidates need to be smartly dressed. They need to have relevant and direct questions. And they need to come across as lively, bright, bubbly and proactive individuals.’ Related topics
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