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Haley

 {Making the Most Out of the Technology and Science Fair }

Career Fairs are hard work. There can be as many as hundreds of companies at one event, all talking to thousands of students, so it can be difficult to make yourself stand out. To secure a coveted interview slot, follow these tips!

1. The career fair is not just a one-day event.

No, any normal career fair will not last several days. However, it is important to realize that career fairs take preparation and reflection, which will take place in the days before and after the fair. Most career fairs, including the College of Natural Sciences Science and Technology Fair, will post a list of all attending companies, so use it! Go through the list and highlight everyone that is recruiting students with your qualifications. Then, do some company research and review the job descriptions for those companies you have highlighted. As you are reviewing the companies and their job descriptions, think about what kind of company you want to work for and the type of work you want to do. Do you want to work for a startup with less than 100 people? Do you want to work for a huge company with more than 10,000 people? Do you want to have a client-facing role? These, and other important questions, will help you decide which companies to prioritize seeing on fair day.

1. Take notes!

As stated above, it is important to reflect on what you learned about the companies and positions after the career fair. However, you are probably going to talk to a bunch of different people, and you probably are not going to remember everything they said. To avoid this, take notes about what you and the recruiter talked about, what you learned about the position, and any steps they suggested you take after the fair immediately after stepping away from the booth. This may be done in several different ways; some students prefer taking notes on their phone and others prefer keeping a notepad in their padfolio or folder. In my experience, I have found it most helpful to take notes directly on whatever handout or business card I collected from the booth, so that all of the information I need about a particular company and position is all together.

1. Collect email addresses.

At the end of the conversation, make sure to ask the recruiter if they have a business card. This is an extremely important step, as it will allow you to send a follow-up email directly to the person you spoke with, rather than some general HR address. After the fair, make sure to take the time to email all of the recruiters you spoke with a personalized email. Use their name, and be sure to mention something that you talked about, something you learned that made you excited about the position, or why you think that you are an ideal candidate for their specific job. Recruiters are much more likely to respond to an email that is personalized for them, rather than something they suspect you sent to everyone you talked to.

1. Dress to impress, but be yourself.

Many career fairs will suggest a dress code, and I strongly suggest following its specifications. However, I also strongly encourage you to let your personality show through your business casual / professional. If allowed, add jewelry, a tie, fun socks, or anything else that gives the recruiter more insight into who you are. If you don’t look exactly like everyone else, it will be much easier for the recruiter to remember you. Remember, business attire doesn’t have to be boring!

1. Be prepared to talk about yourself, your skills, and your experiences with confidence.

Many students struggle to talk about themselves, but at a career fair, that’s exactly what you are there to do. From my experience, the hardest part of any fair is gaining the confidence to walk up to that first booth and introduce yourself; however, if you have something prepared (not memorized, just prepared) to say, walking up to that first booth will be infinitely easier. Introduce yourself with your name, your major, and the type of position you are interested in. Hint: describe the position they are recruiting for. From there, be sure that you have thoroughly reviewed your resume, and could describe any experience they ask you about with confidence and conviction. Even more importantly, always make sure to connect your experiences with the position they are recruiting for.

1. Ask about the recruiting schedule.

Towards the end of the conversation, ask about their recruiting schedule. Some companies will be performing on-campus interviews in the days following the fair, and some companies will take a few weeks to digest all of the different candidates they spoke to before reaching out to those they are interested in. If you ask about the schedule, you can have a better idea of what to expect post-fair. If you know a company is conducting on-campus interviews in the days following the fair, look out for an email or phone call the night of or day after the fair requesting your available times. If you know a company’s schedule is more extended, look out for an email from HR requesting you to apply online in the weeks following the fair. If you know what to expect, you don’t have to wonder whether or not you are still being considered, which can alleviate many of the scary unknowns that accompany job-searching.

Leticia

{Graduate School Search Tips}

Tips on Applying to Graduate School

The number one tip is to start everything early. Do not try to procrastinate; it will only be unnecessary stress for you!

1. Study for the GRE!

Although it is true that your GRE score will not matter too much in the long run, having a good GRE score will not hurt. If you are applying to competitive programs, having a great GRE score can help separate you from other applicants with similar research backgrounds and grades.

The most difficult thing about the GRE is not the content, but the way the test is structured. Make sure you get some practice in so you know what to expect on test day!

1. Start your search for graduate schools early!

Start your search for graduate schools at least 5 months before the application deadlines (usually in December or January). Look at departmental websites, read scientific papers and look at the authors, and even ask your professors where to look! You want to start figuring out what you want to study, where you want to go to school, and who you want to work with in August or September.

Things to look for when searching for graduate schools:

• Deadline to apply – important!
• Course offerings – if they have interdisciplinary programs or courses of interest
• Professors – does the school have people and research you want to work with?
• Post-graduation employment – where do graduates work?
• Graduation rate – how long it takes to graduate

1. Get your letters of recommendation in order

Choose professors who know you and know the kind of work that you do. When asking for a recommendation letter, be sure to inform the letter writers (in advance!) of what programs you are applying to, why you are applying, and provide any necessary information (i.e. resume, transcript, and writing sample) that can help your letter writers write a great recommendation.

Professors also tend to forget the

1. Email professors!

In many research-focused programs (particularly non-rotational programs), it is important, and even required in some cases, to communicate your interests to the professor you want to work with prior to applying. It is important to establish a connection with the professor to see if your research interests match and to make sure that they are accepting students!

Write polite emails mentioning your interests in their research and the department and attach any relevant materials (i.e resume/CV, transcript, and writing sample). Do not be discouraged if professors do not reply right away. Wait a week or two and if they still have not responded, send a polite follow up.

A good time to start the email conversation is around late September/early October – or whenever the fall semester is back in session! Emailing too early may result in out-of-office email replies.

1. Personal statements

Make sure to start your personal statements early! You will want a lot of time to write your essays, refine your ideas, and edit! The personal statement will give your application personality. By writing something that is true to yourself, you will be able to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are serious about graduate school and that you have a real interest in the program. Although your accomplishments are listed on your resume/CV, the personal statement will give you the chance to really describe how your past interests have led you to apply to graduate school and what you plan to do during and after graduate school.

Do not be shy about asking for editing help on your paper! You can ask your professors and friends, go to the writ