Talent Fest 2019: Jobs Fair is right around the corner! Being the largest digital, creative and tech jobs fair in the South East, the event is your golden opportunity to kick-start or grow your career in the sector.
The Jobs Fair is your chance to meet some of the best digital companies from Brighton and beyond and find out about their job opportunities, hear talks from industry experts (including Google!) and get advice at CV clinics and practical workshops.
So block out Tuesday 18th June in your diary, make sure you register to attend and if you really want to stand out from the crowd, start planning ahead now.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of the Jobs Fair and maximise your chances of landing that dream job.
Before the event:
Do your research. Have a look at the companies that are exhibiting and get an idea of who you might like to speak to. Make sure you know a bit about them beforehand and how your skills or interest could benefit them. You can find out about the attending companies here.
Curate your online profile. Make sure that what people see when they look for you, it's what you want them to see. Update your LinkedIn account with any key achievements or experience. Google yourself, see what comes up, and if there happens to embarrassing photos on your Facebook or Instagram, change your privacy settings.
Plan your day. Check out the programme beforehand and make sure you have scheduled in the talks and workshops you’d like to go to.
Prepare your CV or portfolio. Usually, you would try to tailor your CV to a job application, but as a Jobs Fair is quite broad, focus instead on giving a flavor of who you are, what your passions are, and your experiences. If you don't have a qualification in the area that you're looking to break into, try to include some personal projects that you've worked on.
The National Careers Service will be on hand throughout the Jobs Fair to give one-to-one advice and guidance on how to write an effective and eye-catching CV, so bring something along that they can help you improve.
Watch our Talent Talks video. Last month, we held a Talent Talks event to share advice on how to stand out to potential employers and how to prepare for and make the most of the Jobs Fair. Give it a watch.
On the day:
Make a note of your new connections. Make sure you get correct names and email addresses of everyone you speak to, or even better a business card.
Social media. Use it to connect with, follow and/or message the people and companies you’re interested in. Remember to use the event hashtag #TalentFest2019 to let people know that you’re there!
Get inspired. Get top career advice at the various talks from industry experts and Google Digital Garage that will be running throughout the day. You can find out more about the talk topics here.
Talk to companies outside your field of interest as well. For example, if you're an animator, don’t just speak to animation studios, because other types of companies might also have opportunities for you within their organisation.
After the Event:
Follow up. Email the people you spoke to and thank them for their time and ask any further questions you may have. Offer to provide more details or meet up with them to discuss your experience and ask to be kept on their mailing lists and to be updated if any opportunities may arise.
Follow your interests. Like/follow the companies you are interested in on social media and join company newsletters. Keep a note in your diary to contact the companies you are interested in in case they are not recruiting for your skills at the current moment, but might be in the future.
Finally, if you haven’t already, be sure to stay up to date on the latest news and jobs:
- Sign up for Job Alerts
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Talent Fest 2019: Jobs Fair is being held between 11am and 4pm on Tuesday 18th June at the Clarendon Centre in Brighton. If you haven’t already signed up to attend, register here so you don’t miss out!