Did you know? If on the day of the job fair you approach a recruiter and ask « What do you have for me ? », the odds of you catching their attention get considerably lower. So how about enhancing your preparation before the job fair? Sciences Po Careers has some tips for you below.

Before the fair

Get informed on the employers of interest to you

• Consult presentations of participating companies and their opportunities
• Explore the Careers department websites for the participating companies

Get informed on the types of jobs/missions of interest to you

• Check the current vacancies in the search engine
• Check Sciences Po's internship catalogue (FR)

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Prepare several CVs and cover letters

• Attend the CV and cover letter workshops
• Prepare your CVs
  • You have not found any vacancy in a company? Always bring in and give a copy of your CV when you have an interview. We recommend that you print a dozen CVs in both French and English
  • You are applying for a specific position which has existed or still exists? Customize your CV to fit the position’s description as closely as possible.
• Prepare your cover letters. On the day of the Fair, it is not mandatory to give a cover letter to every recruiter you speak with. However, there are situations in which it is advisable:
  • You have spotted an interesting vacancy on the company’s website or on the Career department page,
  • You have identified positions which have been archived but still interest you.

Even if the position seems to have been filled, don’t hesitate to voice your motivation to the recruiter and ask about any possible opening for a similar internship or job in the future.

On the day of the fair

Shift to business mode

Two worlds meet at a job fair: Sciences Po's world and the business world. For any communication to be possible, there is therefore a need for common ground. 

• Show your knowledge of the company (its current events, results, values/culture, vacancies)
• Immerse yourself in its culture and language
• Translate your education and experience into immediately applicable skills that are likely to interest your audience.

Introduce yourself quickly and efficiently

Introduce yourself in less than two minutes

Say who you are, what you are aiming at, why and how this specific job and/or internship interests you. For example: 

“Hello, my name is “Surname Name”. I currently am a « X » master degree student. I wish to complete an internship between “date and date”. Browsing the offers published on the Fair’s website/ on your company’s career department’s website, I understood that you are looking for “profile”. In the medium term my professional project is to “…”, and joining your team in "said position" would help me achieve my goal by acquiring “skills and competences”. Would you be able to give me more information about it etc...

Discover how to introduce yourself in less than two minutes

Be careful with your attitude and style

Smile, be concise, involved, proactive, ask questions on the next steps of the recruiting process, write down the recruiter's contact detail.