Career Resource Center

Mastering a Job Fair:
Before the Fair

Your preparation before the fair will determine your success. To get ready, be sure that:

• You know what you want. That is, you’ve researched opportunities and have identified an area or areas of interest. There are two schools of thought on this. On one side, some nursing recruiters recommend that you not specialize immediately upon graduation. Instead, they encourage new graduates to begin on a general floor such as medical/surgical, where you'll have a chance to hone your nursing skills and learn about opportunities before you specialize.

On the other hand, others suggest that you identify a specific area of interest, seek opportunities to work in that area during your clinical rotations and create as many chances as possible to develop targeted skills.

Which is best? Well, it depends. If you are certain about a specialty, most would recommend that you go for it, preparing throughout your academic career. Volunteer in the area, join relevant professional associations, and create a network of professionals in the field. Let everyone know that this is your area of interest.

If you are not sure of a specialty or are interested in a generalist nursing position, you should be focused on achieving that goal as well. Evaluate areas of interest, but be open to many possibilities. Become involved in nursing associations, develop strong skills, and think about what you are looking for in an employer.

• To help you clarify the type of position you are seeking, write a job description. Use this as a benchmark to evaluate offers that come your way. Include descriptions on the following:
  • Geographic location
  • Type of institution
  • Care area
  • Benefits-including tuition reimbursement
  • Supervisory style
  • Co-worker values
  • Training opportunities
  • Reputation of employer
  • Commuting distance
  • Others

   

• Review the list of organizations attending the job fair and prepare a strategy: Identify which employers are of most interest to you and create a priority list. If there is a map of the fair, note the locations of the organizations with which you are most interested. Make a list and target those organizations first. Visit their web sites to learn more about them and available positions. Do a search in local newspapers to learn what's happening there. See if the organization has a link to its most recent press releases for additional information.
   
• Find out the logistics for the fair. What is the starting and ending time? Is there a entrance fee? Where is parking? Is the fair accessible by public transportation? How many employers are attending? How will they be organized at the fair? Alphabetically? Geographically?
   
• Create a 30-second to one-minute introductory statement that describes your education, clinical rotations and relevant work experience. Also include the type of position you are seeking, if appropriate. Practice until you are comfortable and it feels natural.
   
• Re-evaluate your resume-does it accurately describe your skills and accomplishments? Is it relevant for the positions you are seeking? Too specific? Too broad? Consider having a few formats (specific objectives or one without if you are seeking more general positions). Can you briefly provide examples of your experience based on what’s included in your resume?
   
• Practice interview questions. You can expect to hear the following. Practice answers until you are comfortable with your responses.
  • Tell me about yourself.
  • Why are you interested in our organization?
  • Why did you choose nursing for a career?
  • Describe your clinical experiences.
  • What do you like most about nursing?
  • Give me an example of a time in which you handled a difficult situation.
  • What is your philosophy of nursing?
  • When will you be available?
  • In what area of nursing are you interested?
     
• Don’t expect to have a traditional interview during the career fair, however, you should have a list of questions of your own. What do you need to know? Do not ask about salary and benefits information. You’ll have time for that in a formal interview. Suggested questions:
  • What is your organization's philosophy regarding healthcare?
  • Can you describe the types of patients on the floor?
  • How many beds are on the unit? What is the average census?
  • What is the nurse-patient ratio?
  • Is the staff composed of new graduates or experienced nurses?
  • On average, how long do nurses work on this floor?
  • What is the orientation program like?
  • What do you expect a person accepting this position to be doing in six months?

Next: On The Day of the Fair