The Morning Blend: Get Your Game Face On!
Brad Raney | Apr 12, 2011 | Comments 0
Later this week, another fantastic opportunity will occur for job seekers in Northeast Florida that can help them find their perfect job. The event is the Jacksonville Career Expo, hosted by my good friend and compadre, Carlos Gil and JobsDirectJAX – the Jacksonville, FL affiliate of JobsDirectUSA. Carlos has selected an incredible venue for this particular expo – the new Aloft Hotel in the Tapestry Park area of Jacksonville.
I am honored to be giving a keynote speech for job seekers at noon, and it will be even more special because I’m taping the presentation to be used in my upcoming new DVD! In addition to that fun, there will be dozens of recruiters, other break out speakers like me, and some terrific networking opportunities for the attendees.
With the event only a few days away, I want to make sure you are fully prepped and ready to take full advantage of this valuable opportunity. I wrote a blog last fall that talked about 4 things that you should expect from your job fair or expo experience (see Job Fair Expectations). Among the list of expectations listed in that piece were:
* Keep An Open Mind
* Don’t Schmooze, Make Connections!
* Use The Resources
* Practice Your Skills!
Review the previous blog for more info on these important items – each of them absolutely apply to your efforts at any upcoming job expo event.
Today, I want to take the expo discussion a bit further and give you things to do before, during, and after you attend the event. Because sports analogies always seem to work well, I’ve broken the elements down into Pre-Game, Game On!, and Post-Game for you.
1- Pre-Game: Pre-Game is all about preparation and getting your mind and emotions ready for the big day ahead. In this phase I encourage you to research the companies that are going to be on site at the event. Find out about the recruiting firms that are going to be there and what their specialties might be. If you haven’t been to the venue, go by a day or so before and walk around – you want to feel comfortable in the environment and eliminate as much stress as you can. Work on your “elevator speech” with a friend or loved one, and then practice it several times until you are comfortable with it. Get a good night’s sleep before the expo and get up early enough to eat breakfast, take your time getting ready, and leave in plenty of time to make it to the event location a few minutes early! All of these tips are designed to take out the distractions and to allow you to focus fully on the task at hand – showing the real you to the hiring managers and recruiters at the event!
2- Game On! On expo day, it’s time to turn on the lights, to get fired up, and to do all you can to be in the best frame of mind possible before you walk in the door. Remember, you control your attitude – it does not control you! Think about your VOWELS and how you want to communicate them to recruiters. Mentally prepare for slow questioning folks, or for “machine gun Harry” with rapid fire questions, and those stone faced hiring managers that dont’ seem to be listening to you very well. Just keep talking and saying the right things, and don’t let their facial expressions (or lack of them!) take you off your game! Also, those four tips above from the previous blog are the roadmap to success during expo day – read the blog again, and then print it out and take it with you if you have to – whatever it takes for you to stay on task and not get sidetracked during the event!
3- Post-Game: After you leave the expo venue, sit in your car for a few minutes before you start the engine. Write down mental notes while they are still fresh on your mind – what you did that you liked and didn’t like; memorable exchanges with recruiters that you want to reference later; notes to follow up with certain contacts soon and others in a few days. The point is to take stock of your day while your brain is still in game mode – you never know which connection or “bank shot” is going to be the one that lands you that perfect job. Become a detective and analyze each piece of data and evidence you have before you forget it on the drive home. Also, be careful with following up too soon, too often, or too fervently – you should follow up but not “haunt” a good contact that you have made. Remember to always feed your karma bank and to give value to someone before you ask them for help – give first, then get! Nurture these contacts like new friends – they may very well turn out to be just that in the long run!
There is one thing that you should not expect on expo day – do not expect to walk out with a job!! If you are going to the Jacksonville Career Expo, or any expo in your town, do not set your expectation of a success around “getting hired” on that day. The chances of that happening are slim and none, and none just left town! It can happen – I’ve seen it – but it’s rare and is very much the exception and not the rule.
Enjoy the expo experience and plan, execute, and reap the rewards of a successful day of networking and learning! If I can help you in any way to get more from your next job fair or expo, don’t hesitate to ask!
Sincerely,
Brad Raney
Brad Raney is a motivational speaker, life coach, author and sales trainer. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and sales management within the broadcast industry. Brad developed the VOWELS program in 2009 and the success it brought his sales team has spurred keynote speeches, workshops, seminars, a website, and his first book “Improve Your VOWELS, Improve Your Career!” which was released in July 2010.
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