Today I represented my company at a local career fair. Let\’s just say I have my pet peeves, which I think are fairly common across recruiters. Yet, students continuously do them.
I know I know…I was a student once too. I\’m sure I\’ve done alot of the same. And because I understand that, I offer these tips:
1) Have a resume. Yes….seems simple. It isn\’t. Some students don\’t bring them. To me this just demonstrates how unprepared and unqualified you are.
2) Have your resume ready. I can\’t tell you the number of times a student will come up and not have his resume ready. Then when I ask to see it I have to wait for him to take off his backpack, open it up and scrounge through it looking for a resume.
3) A suit is not necessary. Neither does it impress me. If all it took to get a good job was the ability to dress up, we\’d all be the next Bill Gates.
4) I am also unimpressed with torn jeans and a Van Halen T-Shirt. You can lounge with your friends later. At least demonstrate you are taking this seriously. Here\’s a hint…dress at the recruiters level or high. Standard attire for a recruiter is khakis and a company polo shirts.
5) If you insist on wearing a suit, make sure it fits you. Believe me…it\’s easy to tell. And if it doesn\’t fit you, you look as bad as the Van Halen stoner mentioned above.
6) Wipe off your hands before approaching. I understand you are nervous, but the first thing I\’m going to do is shake your hand. A wet clammy hand leaves a bad first impression.
7) If you don\’t know how to write a resume, seek help. If you know how to write a resume, have someone else double-check your assumption. If I can\’t read it and quickly reference important information during our talk I\’m going to be annoyed. And if I\’m annoyed, chances aren\’t good that you will be highly recommended. A good general rule is don\’t annoy me.
8) Be prepared to talk. Understand that I am your friend and advocate during this process. I\’m trying to find out why you are qualified for the job. To do that I need you to talk. If you are not I\’m going to have to try to carry the conversation. And understand this…I\’ve already said the same shit 20 times today, and I\’m sick of it. And I\’ve already been hired. I need to hear how YOU are qualified.
9) Be prepared with a question. At some point during the conversation, I\’m going to ask you if you have any questions. Have one ready. Even a simple one is better than none. If it is relevant to our conversation, all the better. But have a backup one in case nothing comes up. It shows to me that you are really interested and committed to this.
10) Two words: Personal Hygiene