A couple of weeks ago, I shared some tips for those job searching which focused on what to do prior to getting the the conference (you can click here for that post). So, now lets talk about what to do while you are there.
1) Attend an orientation session. I must admit I didn’t do this myself but in my defense, I did volunteer at placement the year before so I felt very comfortable already with the environment & process. The orientation sessions are designed to help you be aware of all the resources & procedures you’ll be able to utilize.
2) Be careful of what you say & where you say it. If your at placement & someone asks how everything is going, make sure you are very careful what you say – especially when it is something negative. You never know how might be walking by. The spotlight is going to be on you 24-7.
3) Make sure you schedule breaks during the day. You should always leave at least a 1/2 hr between interview incase an interview is running late (which happens a lot) which then makes you late to your next interview. Its also great for processing your interview, check your mailbox, & write thank you cards while the experience is still fresh in your head. Also, you’re going to need time to eat, grad a drink, and/or use the restroom.
4) Have snacks, mints, & a bottle of water. If you can’t seem to find time to eat, having snacks will help out (you don’t want your stomach grumbling during the interview, right?). Mints will help you to have fresh breath at all times (and provide some calories to keep you going). Water with help with your throat stay refreshed since you’ll be talking quite a bit.
5) Make friends in the waiting room. It is a great way to network with colleagues and find out information about employers (if the person is friendly & willing to share). Out of grad school, my waiting area was very friendly & I think it helped us to releaze some of the anxiety we were feeling since we were able to chat & have fun.
If you have any questions, leave a comment or send me a tweet – you can find me @pereirap80. You can see lots of great comments & article links on the #saplacement via twitter.
