Bauer has Pre-Recruiting Mixers at the start of every Fall and Spring semester. Additionally, many Bauer student organizations host mixers and career fairs throughout the semester. Here are some tips to help you prepare and make a great impression on recruiters and employers.
Before the event:
Prepare and update your resume
You’re wrapping up an internship, have you added it to your resume? New to Bauer and not sure what resume format to use? Welcome and we can help with that. The Rockwell Career Center has resume templates for all BBA and MBA/MS students. These templates are vetted and approved by the RCC Advisory Board and helps to breakdown information that recruiters and employers want to get to quickly in 1 page. Looking for the right action words to start your bullet points? Check out this list of action verbs. If you are in the Honors College, Professional program, or transfer student, please see the Alternate Resume Sections.
Please note that for these events your resume should be printed on regular printer paper.
Research the companies that are attending
Take a look to see who is attending the event and then find out more information about the company. Identify which companies may align more with what you are looking for. Not only does it help to prepare you for the event but is helps to show your interest to the employer or recruiter. Being knowledgeable about the company will help you ask more detailed questions and will lead to a more engaging and memorable conversation. In turn, it will also help to boost your confidence before you enter the mixer or fair. You will feel more prepared and less nervous when networking.
You can also use sites like Mergent Intellect, LinkedIn, or Glassdoor to do more research on companies.
Prepare questions
The recruiter or employer is knowledgeable about the company you they are representing. It is a good idea to ask about their experiences, insights, and the industry. You should not be ask questions that you can research. Having prepared questions will help to guide the conversation towards topics that matter the most to you and your career goals.
Work on your pitch
You need a a starting point to introduce yourself and start a conversation with employers. This is usually called an elevator pitch.
You can introduce yourself with this information:
Current Role: Name, Degree, major, and expected graduation
What you are looking for: Internship, Full-Time Role, Information Interview
What you bring: Highlights from Internship experience in terms of relevant knowledge or skills developed, accomplishments from school, internships, work, volunteering, student orgs etc.
Question: Your interest in the company and what you want to learn from the interaction
After the Event:
Follow on LinkedIn
If you received any contact information from employers or recruiters on LinkedIn, it is okay to follow them on LinkedIn. You can find out more information about job opportunities, company information, and industry trends. You should also send out a personalized message along with your connection request so the recruiter/employer can connect you to how they know you.
Apply to the open Internship/FT Role that you are seeking
You made a great impression on the employer or recruiter, you thanked them for their time and insight they provided you and when doing your research you know their is in open role. Now, it is time to apply for the role online.
If you did not discuss an open role but notice that there are availabilities within the company, you can apply to the role on the companies website, LinkedIn, Bauer Gateway, etc.
Send a Thank You Email
If the employer or recruiter provided their contact information, be sure to send a follow-up email within 24 hours (or sooner). Thank them for their time and mention that you enjoyed meeting them. Highlight something specific from your conversation that stood out to you. Lastly, mention the next steps you’re taking, such as applying for a position. A thank you email always stands out in the minds of every employer/recruiter and shows that your interaction was informational and it helps to keep you at the top of their candidate lists.
