November 10th saw the Les Roches Career Day go fully digital for the first time, and it’s fair to say it was an overwhelming success. Pandemic or not, hospitality is definitely moving forward and students need to be ready for the incredible opportunities. To help, we’ve put together our 13 top tips for success at an online career day.
Seven tips for BEFORE the Career Fair:
You need to take your prep seriously, or you’ll miss out. In total, students had 5,314 conversations with 189 recruiters at our latest global Career Day, that’s over 5 per student. More businesses than ever before wanted to attend, with over two-thirds bringing vacancies for 2021. Here’s how to make sure you’re positioned to make the most of it on the day.
1. Make sure your LinkedIn is on-point
This is how potential employers will check you out, so make sure your profile is professional, up to date and consistent with your CV, including the photo. If you don’t have an account, it’s free to set one up and you can have it looking great inside a couple of hours. Well worth the time investment!
2. Update and upload your CV
If you’re happy with your current CV format, then simply make sure your experience and education matches your LinkedIn. Add any additional qualifications or achievements that are relevant and don’t be afraid to inject your personality, you need to be you, that’s who the recruiters will speak to. If you don’t have a CV, search online for professional formats, choose one and get to work.
Les Roches tip: If you have questions on CVs, pass by the Help Desk in the lobby. When it’s ready, upload your CV onto Symplicity and have it approved by Career Services.
3. Do your homework
Find out which companies will be attending the event and research what they’ve been up to recently, as well as their recruiters and the opportunities they currently have available. This is especially important for businesses you are not familiar with. Once you’ve done this, you’ll feel much more confident having recruitment conversations, which will allow your value to shine through.
4. Remember to register
All career days and fairs will require you to register in order to gain access, this is particularly true for online events. Make sure you do this as early as possible to ensure you receive every update and communication about the event. This will include businesses that are attending, the schedule, the format for the day and how you can speak to employers, all important stuff you’ll need to know.
Les Roches tip: For Les Roches online Career Days, you’ll need to register on the Brazen platform. , Remember to add your CV, professional profile picture and LinkedIn.
5. Ask questions before the event
If you’re unsure of anything or want to know a specific detail, contact the manager of the careers event and ask your questions. There’ll always be someone who can help, and the clarity will allow you to focus on your outcome for the day.
Les Roches tip: The Career Services team can answer any questions you have. You can also attend the live demo and Q&A session that precedes all Les Roches Career Days.
6. Know where you can work
If your Career Day is in hospitality, you’ll be meeting international employers with global job opportunities, so you’ll need to know in which countries you can legally work. Companies will ask you. Your nationality may allow you to work in certain countries, for others you’ll need a visa and a work permit. Just be aware of what you need and the time it can take, particularly if you want to work for a specific employer or in a certain country.
7. Prepare your plan and intro
In career conversations, it pays to know the path you’d like to take and the plan you’ve got for the next five years. Getting this nailed will give you structure and focus on the day, it will also give your conversations purpose and show employers that you’re serious and professional. Knowing your plan will empower you to create a confident, short introduction to use when speaking to companies.
“During Career Day, there were many different hotels with different offers, I had eight interviews and some have already offered me an internship.” – Ina Katashvili, Postgraduate Diploma in International Hospitality Management
Six tips for ON the Career Fair:
Thanks to the work you’ve done beforehand, you’ll be calm and confident as you log in to the career day. But before you do, there’s 6 more actions to take to give yourself the best chance of success.
1. Dress to impress
Even though you’re meeting people online, it’s still important to wear your best business attire, including shoes! It’s appropriate and it will help you feel professional when you’re having conversations. You only get one chance at making a first impression.
2. Test your tech
Whether you’re connecting to the event by phone, tablet or laptop, test your microphone and camera in advance, as well as your internet connection. You don’t want any distractions or interruptions undermining your hard work.
3. Check your surroundings
Employers won’t just see you on your video call, they’ll see whatever your camera sees, so check your background and make sure it’s neutral, professional and clean. Set yourself up in a quiet location, too.
4. Build your network
You’re going to meet a lot of recruiters and influential people at your online career event, so be sure to get their LinkedIn details and follow them. Even if they don’t have a role you’re interested in right now, you never know where they’ll be working in the future.
5. Make notes and say thanks
It’s important to stay focused on the conversation during a call, but as soon as it’s over be sure to write down any useful notes. This could include names, roles, pieces of information or the key points discussed and your feelings. Once you’ve done this, always send a follow up message thanking the person for their time and interaction.
6. Be prepared for progress
While interviews may not happen during the online event, they are often scheduled there and then. So, have your schedule at-hand and remember to add it to your calendar app of choice, maybe even pop a reminder in, too!
There you have it, 13 top tips to help you prepare for an online career day, build your network and take advantage of the opportunities on offer.
Watch the Live Panel Discussions
The career support doesn’t stop there, watch recordings of the Live Panel Discussions from our latest Career Day:
– The importance of Mentoring – organized and coordinated by the Les Roches Alumni Association.
– Transferable Skills – organized by Les Roches Marbella and coordinated and led by Vera Champagne.
– Digital Transformation – organized by Les Roches Crans-Montana and coordinated and led by Scott Dahl.
