Tag Archives: self-pitch

Why Do You Want to Work for Our Company?

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How many of you think about this question BEFORE you step up to an organization’s booth at a career fair?

Question mark sign

What attracts you to that booth? If you’ve done your research ahead of time, this question is answered fairly simply. They have the prestigious name you’d like to work for. The work seems interesting and satisfying. There are benefits with the job. They have job/internship openings.

You are just looking for a place to land… Sorry, this last one is wrong! It implies you didn’t do your job ahead of time to research the companies that were coming to the fair. Let’s take a little look at how you can prepare ahead of time for the career fair.

  • Know what you’re looking for – Internship? Job? What type of company would you like to work for? What do you want to do? What skills do you want to learn/use?  Think ideal internship/job. You can always adjust your criteria as you start your research.
  • Know who’s coming to the fair – Most career fairs will provide a list of the companies and organizations that are planning to attend. Research the companies/organizations to find which ones match (or come closest) your ideal list. Then, figure out if you meet their ideal list (they have expectations, too)?
  • Put together your resume – This is a general resume that covers your skills, abilities, accomplishments, etc. It will appeal to a wider range of employers than the resume you will send when applying to a specific company for a specific job. Career & Leadership Development can help you. Schedule an appointment (phone: 262-472-1471; in person: UC 146) or email it for a review. Just be sure to have another set of eyes look at your resume.
  • Print your resume on resume paper – Don’t print multiple page resumes back-to-back or staple pages together. In general, a one-page resume, well-written, should be sufficient for a career fair. Make enough copies for the employers you plan on seeing, plus a couple of extra “just in case” resumes.
  • Dress properly – Business dress is always appropriate, but at least come in business casual. You’re trying to make a good impression.
  • Practice your Elevator Speech – Tell me about yourself in 30 to 60 seconds.

Best of luck to you at this year’s Multicultural Career Fair!

Additional Information & Tips:

Photo by Colin Kinner

How to Introduce Yourself Effectively at the Career Fair

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First impressions matter, a lot. I heard this from my Mom, a long, long time ago. And, as usual, she was right. Recruiters tell us about their experience at our career fairs - the good, the bad, and the ugly. One of their biggest frustrations they share is when students approach them and don’t say anything at all, or say the wrong thing. “What kind of job do you have for me” is not a proper way to introduce yourself to a potential employer.  Oops! The good news is we can all improve our career fair skills.

Realize that a career fair is a networking event. It is all about how effective you are in introducing yourself to recruiters, and how comfortable you appear while carrying out your part in a brief, focused conversation.

Develop and practice your self-pitch. Your self-pitch is what some people may call their “elevator pitch.” It’s a way to introduce yourself and communicate your personal brand. One of the main things we encourage  students to do before the fair is to develop and practice your self-pitch, including the handshake. For some networking events your self-pitch may last about a minute, but for a career fair I suggest making it no longer than 30 seconds. When I’m the hiring manager, I want candidates to be enthusiastic about their chosen career path. Passion. I want to see their eyes light-up. For me, it’s maybe more of a feeling than the words they say.

Before writing your self-pitch, reflect. Why did you choose your particular career path? What excites you about working in this field in the future? Which of your values, interests and abilities best align with what’s needed to be successful in this field? What experience do you have that have helped you prepare to work in the field? Answering these questions and others will help you connect with your passion, to find your spark.

Knowing this, weave the spark into your introduction. Include in your introduction some of the basics, name and major, expected graduation date. Then find a way to include your spark into your self-pitch. I don’t believe there’s one, correct way to do this - everyone will have a slightly different self-pitch. By sharing your “spark” you will set yourself apart from the others who meet the recruiter. You’ll be remembered.

Multicultural Career Fair

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The annual Multicultural Career Fair will be held on Thursday, February 10, 2011 from Noon until 4:00pm on the UW-Whitewater campus in the University Center, Hamilton Room. This career fair is open to all students, providing attendees the opportunity to further develop their professional network by having focused conversations with recruiters. The opportunity to practice the skills associated with networking is extremely valuable, since many entry-level job seekers struggle with participating in succinct, meaningful conversations with prospective employers. I consistently hear from recruiters that many fair participants need to improve their skills in this area.

It’s best if students planning to attend the fair develop and practice their self-pitch prior to the day of the fair. A good self-pitch incorporates a good handshake and greeting that includes your name, major, year in school, and something that relates to that particular employer, such as an internship or work experience that you’ve had that aligns your career interest and direction with the employer.

Beyond the self-pitch, students will want to ask thoughtful questions of the recruiter. You won’t put your best foot forward if you ask the recruiter to tell you about their company or ask, “What does company X have for me?” Prepare your questions in advance, and be ready to ask one or two questions immediately after your self-pitch. Most likely your entire conversation will be brief, probably in the 2-3 minute range.

When you’re prepared for the job fair experience, you will stand out to the recruiter. See you at the fair!

Personal Branding

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On Wednesday, September 30th, I had the opportunity to attend the Career Expo which took place during the Hawk Career Fair. You didn’t have to attend the Career Fair to attend the Career Expo, and there was a lot of information that was useful to all students – all majors, freshman through graduate school. If you missed it this year, I highly recommend you take advantage of it in the future.

We’ll be talking about information from the different sessions in our blog, so if you did miss it, you’ll be able to get the “condensed version” of the presentations.

Developing Your Personal Brand
Amy Tews and Elaine Schultz from M&I

What is a personal brand?

  • How to distinguish yourself from other smart people
  • What makes you different?
  • What it takes for you to stand out
  • Personal brands are like any other brands
  • They show:
    • Good quality product
    • Uniqueness
    • Deliver results

You are the CEO of your own company (you)

  • Create a message and strategy to promote “What makes me different?”
    • Quality/Characteristics
    • What am I proud of?
    • What am I known/famous for?

Visibility is the key – Distinguish yourself!

  • You don’t sell the steak, you sell the sizzle!
  • Volunteer for extra projects at work and/or school
  • Teach or coach in the community
  • Submit a column to the university newspaper
  • Attend conferences/activities
  • Join student groups and become a leader

Your elevator speech

  • Challenge – 15 words or less
  • If it doesn’t “grab” you, you’ve got a problem
  • Things to consider:
    • What have you done lately to stand out?
    • What would your peers say is your biggest strength?
    • What is your most noteworthy personal trait?
    • Forget the job description – what do you really do?

Consistency is important

  • You must demonstrate your values consistently

What do others think of you? 

  • Everyone may see something a little different, but what is the over-all message?
  • Everything you do – or choose not to do – communicates the value/characteristics of your brand
    • Email responses – Make sure your emails are professional
    • How you answer the phone
    • Being punctual
    • Small things count!
    • First impressions count!
    • Dress for success
    • What does your work area look like?
    • What are your personal habits? Are you on time?
    • What does your body language say when speaking with others?
    • Google yourself to see what comes up
    • Make sure your Facebook (MySpace, etc.) profile projects the image you want

Think about your “Brand”. What does it say about you? Do people associate you with quality work or something less? Do you need to update your brand from the “College” you to the “Professional” you? No time like the present!

Career Fair Advice from Recruiters

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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!