At Centennial College, we're dedicated to connecting you to careers. One of the most direct links to work is the annual Part-time Job Fair hosted by Career Services and Co-operative Education, taking place this Thursday, September 27, at Progress Campus, in our gym, from 11 AM to 2 PM.
Students from every campus are welcome, but you also have to pre-register on ExperienceCentennial before you come, otherwise you can't get in. About 50 companies will be showing up, looking to hire Centennial College students from an extremely diverse set of jobs, everything from hospitality to marketing, community services, recreational programs, labour, healthcare, retail, customer service and more. There's something here for everyone. For example, the Hudson's Bay Company hired 40 Centennial students next year. If you're looking for a job, this is the place to go.
What to bring
First of all, you'll want to show up dressed professionally. You'll also want copies of your resume in your hands, ready to hand out since most of the companies there will be collecting them.
How to prepare
Once again, here's a full list of the employers that are going to show up. Read it, and figure out who you want to talk to, so you're going in with a plan. Not only that, but do a bit of research on the companies you want to speak to before you come, so when you do, you know who you're talking to.
Speaking of your resume, if you want to make sure it's ready to go, Career Services can help you out in a hurry. We have resume walk-ins every day at Progress Campus, so you can come in beforehand, without an appointment, for a quick check, so that your resume looks professional when you head to the fair.
Lastly, you'll want to practice and prepare an “elevator pitch,” a short, concise sales pitch that explains who you are, and what you have to offer, so when you show up, you're prepared to introduce yourself in a professional way,
What to do
Since this is a professional networking event, you're there to meet and speak to employers. Don't just walk around and pick up swag. You don't have to talk to every single company, but keep an open mind about who you speak to. For example, a company might be located a far commute away from you, but you should still consider it, because the job may be a valuable stepping stone for a future career.
When you meet an employer, introduce yourself in a professional way, make eye contact, smile, shake their hands, make sure the employer knows about your experience, relevant skills, and ask intelligent questions. Remember, it's not a job interview, either, though, and out of all the things to ask, salary isn't one of them.
After the networking event is done, you want to follow up a few days later by either email or phone. To make sure you do that, you'll want to ask for the employer's business card before leaving the job fair or get their promo materials, so you can connect on LinkedIn. Remember, in previous years there have been 300 students going through the job fair, so you need to follow up, you can't count on the employers remembering you.
Remember to register!
There's less than a week to go, so if you're looking to get hired or to volunteer at the job fair, now's the time to register on ExperienceCentennial! Good luck with getting a great part-time job!
By Anthony Geremia