Careers Fairs & Networking Events — Making a Good First Impression

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Note: This post was originally published on 1st April 2015.

Networking is a crucial skill to meet contacts, regardless of what stage you are at in your career. Your network also happens to be one of the greatest sources of opportunities when it comes to your job search. However, these opportunities don’t always find you; you have to be willing to put yourself out there and hustle your way to meeting employers.

Careers fairs and industry events are a great way to meet interesting people and potential employers. There are however a few important ‘basics’ in terms of etiquette and techniques that need to be adhered to, when making a good first impression of yourself.

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” — Dr Seuss

At a networking or careers event there are hundreds, if not sometimes thousands, of attendees. That company you so desperately want to work for will meet hundreds of people that look and sound just like you, with similar education and work history. You know you have something special to offer them, but how will Company X remember you if you approach them in the same way as everyone else? You have to work out a way to gain their attention and make yourself memorable. At the end of the event you need to know employers are walking away thinking, “that person was really interesting, they did something unique to get my attention and I liked that”.

Bad Handshake = Bad Impression

Ask anyone if they have ever had a bad handshake and nearly everyone will say yes. Whether it was too limp, wet, tight grip or a ‘finger shake’ it undoubtedly left a bad first impression.

In their paper, ‘Handshaking, Gender, Personality, and First Impressions’, scientists at the University of Alabama concluded:

handshaking characteristics are related to both objective personality measures and the impressions people form about each other. Given what we know about the potency of first impressions, it might be a good idea to heed the recommendations of experts on handshaking etiquette and try to make that first handshake a firm one.

They also referenced that a perfect handshake was a blend of eight characteristics; dryness, temperature, texture, strength, vigor, completeness of grip, duration, and eye contact. Whilst this probably over complicates the situation it is not unreasonable to say that the few seconds during which a handshake occurs, are extremely important in building a strong impression. Something to make sure you’re getting right.

“Dressing well is a form of good manners.” — Tom Ford

We’ve all heard the saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover. However, unfortunately, the fact is that everyone is judged by their appearance; particularly how they dress. Rightly or wrongly, this is particularly true in a business setting. Dressing appropriately doesn’t necessarily mean wearing a business suit; it just means wearing appropriate attire for the occasion.

Every industry has different expectations of dress code so it is best to be a ‘cultural chameleon’ when possible, ie. learn the norms for the environment and dress appropriately.

Professor of Psychology, Ben Fletcher, writes in his article ‘What Your Clothes Might Be Saying About You’:

It is important to choose our dress style carefully because people will make all sorts of assumptions and decisions about us without proper evidence. We are unlikely to know what these assessments are too, so it is quite possible that our clothes reveal more than we thought.

In short, your attire probably requires more thought than you realise. Be mindful that employers will make an assumption about your personality and your abilities based on your appearance.

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” — Ernest Hemingway

When engaged in conversations at a careers event, there is nothing more off putting than getting the feeling the person you are speaking with would rather be elsewhere, talking to someone else. In fact, this most definitely isn’t just limited to careers events.

When engaging with an employer it is important to be ‘actively listening’.This means being present in the moment and not half wandering off into the distance. Being attentive, asking intelligent questions and showing a genuine interest are all key ingredients to a successful conversation.

One of the common mistakes observed, is a candidate being so eager to make a good first impression and get their point across that it becomes clear they are just waiting for the employer to finish talking so that they themselves can speak again. Whilst it is counterintuitive, it is often better to be the one asking the questions; people like to talk about themselves and giving an employer a chance to do so can be a good strategy to gain intel before launching in with a pitch about yourself.

This is a classic sales technique; don’t give your sales pitch about all of the features of your product until you have uncovered and qualified your customer’s needs. You do this by asking the right questions so that you can then pitch the right features, relevant to them. In a networking situation with an employer, the same principles apply. If you’re pitching your skills that are not relevant to their business needs then you’re fighting a losing battle. Instead, ask questions to uncover their needs (ie. their skill shortage) and pitch yourself and the opportunity to employ you as the solution to their problems.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin

Preparation before attending an event is just as important as showing up itself. If you have thoroughly researched the companies beforehand, you already have a competitive advantage over those that are walking in blind. You will be able to uncover insights to help you qualify the people that you want to meet, and also have some topics up your sleeve to spark conversation.

“Be politely persistent” — Mark Suster

Mark Suster, a venture capitalist writes that being politely persistent is one of the most important traits for entrepreneurs; to not accept that first ‘no’. Persistence is critical to your success, but not at the sacrifice of being polite and likeable. This advice is transferrable to all areas of your career when you’re trying to pursue career opportunities.

At a careers event, you’re likely to meet a lot of people, some more suitable to your current situation than others. You need to be persistent in tracking down those individuals who hold the opportunities suitable for you. This doesn’t always mean taking a direct approach; it could mean finding someone who can make an introduction. Either way, if you don’t persist then you are unlikely to uncover the right people and have the conversations that lead to great opportunities.

After the event itself, you have to be equally persistent and follow-up to make yourself memorable. Connections and networks are not built on one meeting alone; they are built over many interactions and the follow up after the first meeting is the crucial step in maintaining the relationship. Your email etiquette needs to be impeccable for building upon, and reaffirming, the good first impression you made.

What other ‘basics’ are there that you feel should be adhered to at a careers fair or general networking event? Do you have any tips or tricks you use yourself? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear about them.