by Cheryl Hasan

Employers participate in career fairs more often than ever to attract and screen potential candidates to fill different positions within their organizations. Meeting face to face will give you the opportunity to gather information about immediate job opportunities, as well as the chance to detail your accomplishments. Making a good first - and lasting - impression is up to you.

Here are a few tips to make your experience a positive one: 

Find out what companies are attending.
Try to find out what companies are planning to attend the career fair. List targeted companies you are most interested in talking to, and research their products & services. You can generally find out about their employment needs and their culture by visiting their website. It's also a good idea to get more information on the company from other business sources, such as Hoovers.com.

Make Plans.
Plan to arrive early and meet with your chosen prospective employers. Prioritize the most interesting companies and meet with them first, then visit with the balance of companies attending the event. Remember you want to keep all options open.

It's helpful to prepare a brief summary detailing your qualifications, achievements and career goals because time is limited. Be clear and know what you are going to say.

Dress the part.
When looking for a job opportunity you must dress appropriately, which means professionally and conservatively. Maintaining a clean and pressed appearance will have a critical impact on whether an employer will be interested in you. Carry a professional notebook and pen to polish your look.

Remember that when you meet someone for the first time, 55% of the impression that you make is based on non-verbal cues gathered within the first 5 seconds of a meeting.

What should I take?
Make sure you take twice as many resumes as you think you'll need. Career fairs are big networking events and you may meet more people than expected. If the career fair is held in conjunction with a conference or trade show, you may meet others at sessions or at the exhibits that may have interesting jobs available.

Also, have a list of references handy. It's a good idea to contact your references in advance to let them know you are attending a career fair. You don't want them to be surprised if a potential employer contacts them.

Before leaving each booth make sure to ask the representative how you should proceed to the next level. Collect a business card and the contact information for the manager that is actually doing the hiring.

Be positive.
Not every contact will lead to a job right away. But if you follow the guidelines above and prepare for the experience, a career fair can be your ticket to a new job.