Our Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival is coming up on Wednesday 21 May in 3Sixty between 14:00 – 16:00 (13:30 – 14:00 quiet time). Open to all years and disciplines, our end-of-year careers festival is your chance to connect with over 30 employers advertising graduate roles, internships and placements as well as:
- Get one-to-one careers advice at the Careers Expert Bar
- A free professional photo at our LinkedIn photobooth on the first floor of 3Sixty
- A free ice cream (for the first 300 students)
One summer festival you shouldn’t miss, you’re likely wondering how you can make the most of attending before, during and afterwards. Don’t worry – we have some advice to help you navigate it!
Before
Make a plan. Use your time before the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival to think about what you want to achieve from attending it. Do you want to start building your professional network or are you actively searching for roles to apply for? As you figure out why, explore everything you can about the organisations attending, for example, industry/sector, locations(s) they work in, and the types of roles they’ll be advertising, i.e. placements, graduate schemes. Some great places to start include:
- Company website
- Glassdoor
- Rate My Placement
You can find full information on all the exhibitors on our Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival blog and MyJobsOnline. By looking before the fair, this will help you feel more prepared and confident once you start approaching exhibitors. Also remember you can book an appointment with any of our Careers Consultants leading up to it if you have any questions.
If you need tips on making a great impression for the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival, why not attend our ‘How to talk to professionals at career fairs‘ webinar on Monday May 12?
Create an elevator pitch. A great first impression is a must for any careers fair, and the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival is your opportunity for you to put yourself out there to employers through a strong elevator pitch. Keep it simple (maximum 60 seconds) and have it reveal the following:
- Who you are
- What makes you unique
- What services you can offer to them
During
Ask questions. Asking questions is always important, and one way to make them more meaningful during the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival is by tailoring them to the organisation and the opportunities they’ll be advertising instead of throwing the same blanket questions left, right and centre. Also remember to consider who you’re speaking with, for example:
- SAY: ‘Hello, my name is Lucy. I’m a second year student studying history interested in year-long placements.’
- DON’T ASK: ‘what roles does your company offer?’
- DO ASK: ‘I noticed your organisation is advertising this graduate role, but I don’t have experience in this criteria – is it essential or is it something I can work towards?’ or ‘What is the career path like for a graduate in the first three years?’
Take notes. Employers will be speaking to many students during the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival which can get busy, so it’s always a plus bringing a notebook and pen to jot down key points, names and tips you won’t forget once the fair ends. These will come in handy once you start reconnecting with employers or manage to secure an interview for any of the roles they advertise.
Use all your resources. The Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival offers more than networking opportunities with employers. Our Careers Expert Bar will be open, where our Careers Consultants will be offering tailored one-on-one advice so remember to bring a copy of your CV along if you’d like it reviewing! If you want to give your social media profiles a more professional edge that will impress potential employers, get a LinkedIn photo taken at our dedicated photobooth on the first floor of 3Sixty.
After
Follow up. As you reflect on what you gained from attending the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival, it’s time to put the information you collated to use. Start filling out applications for roles that interested you and look through your notes for any tips that will make yours stand out. Send personalised thank you emails and LinkedIn messages to employers you connected with. These simple steps can help your career journey in the long run, so it’s important to take action at your earliest opportunity.
If you have any questions between now and the Graduate Recruitment and Internship Festival, contact the Careers Centre at careers@reading.ac.uk or book an appointment on MyJobsOnline.
Author: Mica Blackwell, Careers Information and Engagement Assistant