Tatiana Campos-Teixeira

The Penn State Abington Fall Career Fair will take place on Wednesday the 25th, starting from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. It will be an in-person event hosted by Career & Professional Development in the Penn State Abington Athletics Building. There will be about 83 organizations some of which include Jefferson Health, Pennypack Environmental Center, JG Wentworth, Pennrose, Tower Health, MassMutual of Greater Philadelphia. Students can search for all the companies planning to attend by checking out the website. There are two organizations sponsoring the event, Northwestern Mutual and Enterprise Holdings. It is thanks to them and many of the staff that Abington is able to host and have this event.  

Students will have the opportunity to meet with many different employers and companies in order to practice their interview skills, learn how to market themselves, and how to talk to employers in general. This networking event also allows students the opportunity to discuss with organizations available internships and jobs they could have during or after their college journey.

There are a number of ways students should and could prepare for the event. In fact, CPD has crafted a list for students to follow to make sure they have all that they need and are ready to go. 

Craft Your Resume

According to their page, one way to prepare is to, craft your resume. Meaning you should not only have your resume written but it should also be polished and ready to be reviewed by employers. If you were unable to get your resume checked by a Career counselor or by someone during Resumania the week before, then check out the tips and advice on the Penn State Career Services website and the Penn State Career Guide. Both have tips on how to not only format your resume but also what content you might want to have in it to impress the employers and organizations you are striving to join. Jennifer Rae, a Career Counselor at CPD stated to me, “Page 42 in the Career Guide is what I always review with students in terms of preparing for the Career Fair: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/sites/default/files/CS_CGuide_2020.pdf. It has a pretty nice list (although wordy) of things to keep in mind/steps to take”. The following page is titled, ‘Making the Most of Career Fairs’, and it lists ways how to be prepared for the Career Fair. It also includes a 30-second Introduction Sample that students may choose to use or elaborate on when creating their own 30-second Introduction for employers. The career guide also contains many other useful tips and advice, and it is highly suggested to read from CPD.  

Michelle Daly, Assistant Director for Employer Engagement, stated it was best to have “at least 20 copies” of resumes to hand out during the Career Fair. Although not all employers may ask for a resume, it is recommended to have them on hand. Some employers nowadays might even ask for a QR scan for resumes, so as to save paper and time. Therefore it is also recommended to have a QR link to your resume. 

 

Practice Your 30-Second Introduction

CPD recommends having an elevator pitch, a 30-second introduction about yourself, your career, and what you wish to pursue. First impressions are important, and employers take into account what they see almost immediately. In fact, in a research article called “First Impressions”, two Princeton psychologists, Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov, had a timed study where they revealed it only takes a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger, and that longer exposures don’t significantly alter those impressions. It is why you should practice your 30-second introduction a few times before heading to the Career Fair. It is also recommended that you speak to a ‘practice employer’, so as to get your nerves out of the way and boost your confidence to speak to the employers you actually want to meet with at the fair. For more tips on how to write your 30-second intro, check out The Balance.     

 

Prep What to Wear

It is required to be professionally dressed and in business attire to attend the Career Fair. You will not be permitted to enter if you are not dressed in business professional attire, therefore you should obtain formal clothing. If you do not own any such clothing, go to Lares 206 and speak to Liz anytime between 8 am- 5 pm to visit the Career Closet and obtain the proper attire. CPD recommends to ‘dress as if you were going to an interview’, and that ‘The key is to make a good first impression in clothing that helps you feel confident speaking with an employer.’ 

If you are unsure what is acceptable and professional enough, follow these attire guidelines, and view the examples below:

 

• Polished, clean, & wrinkle-free
• Interview appropriate or dressier – when in doubt, choose something more professional than you think you need
• Fits your identity and personal style
• Shows you take care in your appearance

Employers say to avoid:  flip-flops, sneakers, slippers, pajama bottoms, hair bonnets, shorts, sweatpants, half-shirts, graphic tees, workout wear, hoodies, anything you would wear out to a club or to binge-watch Netflix.

 

The Career Guide is a very useful tool and guide for all things professional. Not only will it help you plan and format your resume, it will also give you tips and advice on how to speak to employers. It has a lot of great topics and conversation starters to discuss with employers to help promote yourself and also maintain a well-rounded conversation. 

 

If you’re interested in reading what last spring’s Career Fair was like, check out the following article: https://sites.psu.edu/abingtonsun/2023/04/02/the-career-fair/