Find Upcoming Job Fairs in Your Local Area

Introduction: CNN has a list of upcoming job fairs all across the United States. In this article, I'll tell you all about this and other helpful websites.

We experienced another 650,000 job losses across the United States last month, on top of the millions we have already seen over the last year or so. While these numbers are certainly disturbing, you can't succumb to the doom and gloom. I know it's hard. I know it makes you angry / frustrated / depressed to lose your job. But you have to stick out your chin, freshen up your resume, and get back out there.

Job fairs are an excellent place to get started, and there are many upcoming fairs all over the country. If you plan on attending such an event, CNN's website is a good place to start. They have an interactive map that lets you search for upcoming job fairs by state and city, most of them hosted by Monster.com or Career Builder. Below the map, you can find links to even more events.

Other Job Fair Websites

Like I said, the CNN website is a great place to start when looking for upcoming local job fairs. But there are many other websites you can use as well. The more fairs you attend, the more likely you are to find employment. Here are some other sites you might want to check out:

• www.NationalCareerFairs.com
• www.EmploymentGuide.com
• www.CareerBuilder.com
• www.FlipDog.com

I also recommend doing a Google search for upcoming job fairs in your local area. Google is the most sophisticated and frequently updated search engine online today. So if there's any news out there about upcoming events in your area, you'll find it through Google. Do a search for the phrase "job fairs" plus your city name. You should find plenty of information through that kind of search. If you live in a small city, do the same kind of search for your state (to find upcoming job fairs in bigger cities nearby).

Other Helpful Tips

You'll need an updated resume for the job fair, and you should take about 20 copies of it to the event. You might only give out a dozen or so, but it's better to be prepared. If it has been a while since you last updated your resume, and you need a little direction, check out our guide to finding a job in 2009.

Be sure to dress for the kind of job you want. When in doubt, err on the side of being dressed up instead of down. A good business suit is always appropriate for job fairs, and it shows employers that you're serious about the process. This is always a good thing.

Work on your "30-second pitch." This is critical for job fairs because you don't always know what to expect, or who might approach you out of the blue. By your pitch, I'm talking about a brief summary of your skills and experience, along with the type of work you're seeking. For example, if I walked up and asked you "What can you offer to a potential employer?" ... what would you say? What if I asked about your ideal job, or your specific accomplishments from past jobs? Could you answer it in 30 seconds, or would you stumble?

Lastly, I'd like to offer you a tip that's often left out of articles like this. Have a positive attitude when you attend job fair events. Show some enthusiasm. I've attended these events from a hiring perspective, and I've always noticed a general sense of despair in the air. Many of the people I've spoken to at job fairs seemed down and defeated. I can understand the reasons for this, but it certainly doesn't help a person get hired. Who wants to bring such negativity into their organization? I know I didn't. So regardless of what you've endured leading up to the event, put your best foot forward when you walk in the door.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.

Make Your Resume Accomplishment Statements as Specific as Possible

Tips on Finding a Job >> List Your Specific Accomplishments

Pop quiz. In terms of resume accomplishments, what's the difference between managing "a lot" of projects and managing 73 projects over a three-year period? Give up? The difference is specifics.

The second accomplishment is much more specific than the first, and it could make the difference between securing or losing a job opportunity. Keep this in mind when you're working your resume accomplishment statements. The more specific you can be, the stronger your resume will be.

Why? Several reasons:

• Specific accomplishments are more concrete and believable than general statements.
• Specific numbers stand out on a resume. In fact, they stand out in any kind of written document. That's why advertisers use numbers all the time (like Listerine killing 99% of germs).
• By providing specific information, you're also showing potential employers that you are a detail-oriented person. And detail-oriented is always a good thing.

This is why I always tell people to keep a work journal or "job log" near their work desk. I've always had one of these little notebooks, and I actually made it a requirement for the people I managed. Every time they would complete a big project or some other form of accomplishment, I would tell them to write it down in their work journals.

The conversation would go something like this:

• Me: "Be sure to write that accomplishment down in your work journal?"
• Employee: "Why do I need to do that?"
• Me: "Because later on, when you ask me for a raise, you'll have something to back it up with. You can also use your journal to create accomplishment statements on your future resumes."
• Employee: "But I'm not looking for a job. I like it here."
• Me: "And we like having you here, and hope to keep you for a long time. But I would be failing as a manager if I didn't help you prepare for your future -- whether it's with this company or some other company."

Eventually, the light bulb would turn on, and they would see the value of a work journal. Without one, it's difficult to create specific accomplishment statements on a new resume. But with such a journal, it's simply a matter of transferring details from the notebook onto your resume.

That's good advice for going forward. But what about here in the present? What if you don't have a work journal to help with your resume? You can still create specific accomplishment statements, you'll just have to do more homework to gather the details. You might have to contact former coworkers or employers for input, or dig through some old paperwork (including your previous performance evaluations). But the end result is worth it. Your resume will be much stronger if you include specific accomplishments.

Here are some areas where you can get specific in your resume statements:

• The number of people you supervised, managed, trained, etc.
• The amount of money you saved the company through your actions.
• The amount of revenue you generated through your actions.
• The number of clients or customers you served.
• The number and types of equipment you maintained, managed, etc.
• Any other numbers relating to accomplishments.

Keeping track of your accomplishments can certainly help you write a stronger resume, but it helps in other areas as well. For example, asking for an increase in pay is much easier when you have specific accomplishments to back it up. Instead of saying, "I deserve a raise because I'm a good worker," you can actually present a list of things you've done (and how it has helped the company).

That last parenthetical is important. When writing your accomplishment statements on your resume, always tie them back to the company. State what you did, and then explain how it helped the company. For example: "I streamlined an online ordering process used by more 2,500 customers a week. This improved customer satisfaction while also reducing the number of customer service phone calls by more than 30 percent."

Now that's a solid accomplishment statement, filled with specific information! Build a resume full of items like this, and you'll greatly increase your chances of getting the job.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.