If
you're planning to attend a career fair, we suggest reading another
article, The
Ten Keys to Success at Job and Career Fairs
As with any
situation where you find yourself with a potential employer, job-seekers
must be prepared to ask insightful questions of recruiters at job
and career fairs.
There are four
categories of questions you can ask recruiters at career and job
fairs. Each category of questions has a specific strategy. Which
questions should you ask? It depends on the recruiter, on your interest
and knowledge of the company, and how much time you have with the
recruiter.
Strategic
Comeback Questions
These questions are designed to give job-seekers the chance to respond
to the recruiter's answer with a positive spin on how you perfectly
fit (and ideally exceed) what the company is looking for in an employee.
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What kinds of skills and experience do you look for in the employees
you hire? |
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What are the characteristics of your most successful employees?
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Are
graduate degrees important to advancing within your organization?
Which ones? |
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Which courses or experiences do you suggest to be a successful
candidate? |
Strategic
Planning Questions
These questions are designed to give the job-seeker more information
and knowledge about the hiring process for each particular employer.
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What kind of entry-level positions (or internships) exist within
your organization? |
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Does your company hire on a continual basis or just at certain
times of the year? |
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How
long does the hiring process take? What does it consist of?
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What percent of applicants are eventually hired? What is the
retention rate? |
Key Company
Information
These questions are designed to provide you with critical inside
information you need to know when making a decision about the attractiveness
of each potential employer. Remember, a job fair is a two-way street
and you should be evaluating these companies as much as they are
evaluating you.
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Are there specific career tracks within the organization? In
other words, what can a typical employe (for the position I
am seeking) hired in your division expect to be doing 2, 5,
or 10 years after hiring? |
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What is your organization's culture like? |
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Are
their opportunities for ongoing training through your organization?
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Do you expect your employees to relocate? How much travel is
involved? |
Recruiter
Information
Some experts advise not asking the recruiter personal questions
relating to his or her job, but especially if the recruiter is an
alum of your university -- or you have some other personal connection
-- these questions are fine. Even if there is no connection, these
questions can be asked -- and their answers can provide you with
some critical insights.
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What made you choose this company and why do you stay? |
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How long have you been with the company? |
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What's
the one thing that most surprised you about this company? |
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