Career Showcase will be in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I want to give you all some quick tips for the biggest day of your undergraduate career:
Dress professionally.
That means no jeans, T-shirts, or flip-flops! A nice business dress, pencil skirt or suit with small-to moderate-sized heels will do if you’re a girl. Complete your look with a nice blazer that matches your attire.
Men, wear a suit. Make sure your blazer and pants are the same shade, and wear a neutral or pale colored shirt. You don’t want recruiters staring at your neon green shirt instead of your face while you talk! Also, wear dress shoes.
Every detail counts. Looking put-together gives off a professional vibe and makes you look more appealing to recruiters.
Do your homework.
The companies at the showcase are listed online, so please research those that appeal to you most. You don’t need to know every detail about budgets or policies, but have a general idea of what you will be talking about with the recruiters.
Prepare an elevator speech.
This is a quick, two-minute introduction about you. Usually, students include their name, major, year, brief career direction they want to pursue and relevant work experience. Be confident, and make sure you practice. You don’t want to awkwardly pause in the middle of speaking.
Print out your resume.
I suggest printing about 10 copies of your resume on either clean white paper or thicker resume paper. It will be easier for your recruiter to keep the conversation going, and, most importantly, remember who you are.
Relax.
Career Showcase is one of the most anticipated (and dreaded) events at UF. Yes, it’s really intimidating at first. You see hundreds of students all over the place and recruiters everywhere. It’s pretty chaotic. But just take a deep breath, and be yourself. I suggest warming up by talking to a couple smaller companies first. Then move on to the bigger ones – the companies you really want to work for.
Remember to visit the O’Connell Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. No pressure.
Job searchers wait in line to talk to potential employers at the Career Showcase at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Tuesday afternoon.
