Seriously, not kidding. Alright, maybe I am kidding and it can’t hurt to attend but just don’t expect much. I understand that removing yourself from situations to meet new people and/or companies is never a good idea regardless of how you look at it. You can stumble across that one person or company at any moment and as long as you are prepared it could be the turning point in your career. The problem though is that the career fair usually = typical out of college $36,000 a year job that not a damn person, Gen-Y or not, would usually find rewarding. Penelope Trunk says it best,
Out of college jobs suck. Everyone wants reasonable work, not just Gen Y.
You are probably thinking, “I have to start somewhere to work my way up, right?” It is a valid question and there are many different thoughts on this, but I believe having that mentality with your career will only stunt your growth because you should always strive to find something that you enjoy, no matter what. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that you know everything and that we should be the CEO tomorrow but I am saying that you should like what we do and work hard to find a company willing to teach us how to do better. Find a company that you feel like wants to help you get better. That’s what this journey is all about, learning from others. I often say that age is not a barrier, rather a number that can be silenced by ones ambition, passion, and ability to learn from those who are willing to teach. Here is the full post by Seth Godin that made me think about my past experiences at career fairs and what initially inspired me to write this.
Career Fairs are neither.
Of course they don’t exist to help you plan or execute a career. Most of the organizations with booths are bottom fishing, looking for enough willing and able employees to fill established gaps in their companies. This is hiring on the hoof, wholesale filling of average jobs with people trying to be average. Planning a career at a career fair is a little like looking for a soulmate at a singles’ bar.
And fair? Hardly. Because there are no average people, right? There are average jobs, certainly, average in that they require people to fit in, do what they’re told and follow the manual. I’ll grant you that those jobs need to get done, but I’m not sure they have to get done by you.
By the time a job opening hits the career fair, it’s a job you don’t want. And by the time a job seeker is walking down the aisles, standardized resume in hand, it might be too late for her to find a job that’s worthy of her.
Here’s to a new, better sort of career fair, one that’s selective, interactive, long-term and both career and fair.
Just remember that one of the least rewarding things to do in life is what everyone else expects you to do. Whether that is attending a career fair, trying to send your resume to the HR department, or attending a career summit, it usually doesn’t return the results you were looking for. You are silenced by the inability to stand out from the crowd. Instead, try to connect with people who work at a company and build relationships before you ever mention the words “job opening.” By leveraging online technology, like Gist, which can allow you to listen to what people are saying and help put yourself in a situation to cross paths with the important people. Coming across in a manner that doesn’t seem like you are yelling “I need a job” is the real secret. Matt Cheuvront, founder of lifewithoutpants.com, says it best in my opinion,
So in your ploy to take over the world – instead of focusing on “me, me, me” you should focus on “we” – the overall community and the perceived benefit…
I do understand though that if people don’t know you need a job then they can’t offer you one either. It is a game that you have to play and learn as you go. But if you connect first and bypass the pile of resumes with all the other job candidates, you are now someone with a voice, a face, and you will do better because of it. For some other ideas on how to boost your resume and value as a job candidate, read David Spinks post “How-To Boost Your Resume Over Winter Break.”
Am I blowing smoke here? Have you found great success at career fairs or conferences? What do you think is the secret to finding a job that will be satisfying?
What makes me an expert? Nothing. I am just a guy who enjoys helping people find career paths that they didn’t know existed. I strive to help people ask questions and think about things a little differently. Life and Careers are about asking the right questions. Please ask us anything, or just subscribe to the The Squab feed via RSS or Email to receive notifications of new posts.
This post was written by Shane Mac, founder of thesquab.com. Read more about him, follow him on twitter, join him on Brazen Careerist. or become a fan of the squab on facebook,
Photo credit: The Pug Father
