What exactly do you say after “Hello”? With two career fairs on the horizon (Accounting Career Fair on September 9th and Hawk Career Fair and Expo on September 30th), it’s timely to talk about how best to “work” a career fair.

Recruiters who work many career fairs have exceptional advice for students about what to do to make yourself stand out, and what to avoid doing to give yourself no chance at all for the job. Here’s what they had to say:

What To Do

Be Prepared – Know what companies and employers will attend the fair and do your research in advance. Identify those organizations that you find of most interest, and develop specific questions that demonstrates that you’re interested.

Dress Professionally – For both men and women a business suit is a necessity. Consult with one of our career counselors about clothing details – but here’s some related advice:

• Avoid perfumes and cologne.
• Make sure your personal hygiene – particularly your breath – is acceptable.
• Don’t carry your backpack in with you – Invest in a hand-held portfolio that looks more professional than a backpack.

Prepare Your Self-Pitch in Advance – Prepare and practice a brief introduction, something that you’ll say to recruiters when you first meet them. It’s good to include your name, major/minor, year in school, and something unique about yourself. This could be an experience, such as study abroad or an internship – anything that helped prepare you for the next step. Practice your self- pitch so it feels natural to you.

Practice Your Handshake – The best handshake is not too firm, not too soft, with about 3-4 pumps of the hand. Avoid the limp, dead fish handshake because it may communicate that you lack confidence. Also, avoid too strong a grip so you don’t appear overconfident or too much in control.

What Not to Do:  Pet Peeves of Recruiters

Failure to Research – Don’t approach a recruiter and say “What’s this company about?” or “What do you have for me?” This will let the recruiter know that you haven’t done your homework, and that maybe you don’t care all that much about making a positive first impression.

Failure to do Your Own Work – Avoid approaching recruiters in groups of your friends. Some students “travel” through career fairs in groups as if they’re shopping in the mall together. This is a time to be independent and confident, and this will be hard to display while you’re in a group.

Failure to Keep Your Eye on the Prize – Recruiters distribute a lot of really cool giveaways to promote their company. Some students forget why they’re attending the fair and become overly concerned about collecting stuff. If your hands are full of these giveaways, you’ll give some recruiters the wrong impression about your interests. Remember why you’re attending the fair.

Not Having Your Self-Pitch Prepared and Practiced – Know what you’re going to say, so what you say comes across as more natural. Be aware of your verbal ticks – such as umm, like, you know – and try to reduce these in your presentation.

A Bad Handshake – However simple a handshake may sound, it’s always good to practice shaking hands ahead of time so you present yourself more naturally and confidently.

Good luck!