Everything you need to know about succeeding at a job fair

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --  Employers are setting up for a job fair in Jacksonville with more than 600 open positions.  It will start at 10:00 a.m. and go until 2 p.m. at the Prime Osborn in Jacksonville.

Being First For You, we want to make sure you are as prepared as possible.  So we spoke with Candace Moody with Work Source about some of the biggest mistakes made on resumes.  She says making your resume do too many jobs is a big problem.  Instead, target your resume at the particular job you are applying for.  Also, double check your grammar and spelling.  If there are problems on your resume, the potential employer is likely to throw it away.

Don't try and fancy up your resume with colors or artwork.  Moody says companies often scan resumes into a computer system to save them and the colors can cause a problem, meaning your resume file could get corrupted and thrown out.

Next, make sure you are dressing appropriately for the job fair and interview.  For men that means a nice suit or a shirt and tie with nice slacks.  For women, it is OK to wear a dress as long as it is not revealing or too tight.  Also, a nice pants suit looks very professional.

Marilyn Feldstein, a career coach and professional speaker, says the idea is for the job recruiters to be able to picture you working at their company.

In the crowd of a job fair, how do you make yourself stand out?  There is the old standby of a firm handshake and eye contact, but knowing something about the company and the positions open will set you apart.  That way you can talk up your strengths.

"It really is kind of a waste of time to say, 'so what are you looking for today'? If you come up and say, I see you are looking for customer service reps and here is why I am great for that, again a great first impression and that is really going to help you stand out," says Moody.

Make sure you bring several copies of your resume with you and ask how you can follow up after the job fair.

So what are some of the questions you should be ready to answer? Feldstein says one of the first questions you will probably be asked is "tell me about the kind of position you are looking for."  She says job seekers should use that question to talk about their skills and how they can relate to a position in that company.

"They (recruiters) want to know what are your talents and your transferable skills. What are those things you are really good at, that you have passion for and what are you offering," says Feldstein.

You will probably be asked to talk about your education and previous job experience, so have some bullet points ready in your head and talk up your strengths.

Here is a list of the employers that will be at the job fair at the Prime Osborn:

ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY

ASEC, INC.

CTI RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.

DAK RESOURCES

DEVRY UNIVERSITY

EVEREST COLLEGE

FAMILY DOLLAR

GEORGIA COLLEGE OF CONSTRUCTION

GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY

ITT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

JANE WYATZKA COACHING

MAYO CLINIC

NEW HORIZONS LEARNING CENTER

SAINT VINCENT'S HEALTHCARE

STRAYER UNIVERSITY

TALAGY

TROOPS TO TEACHERS

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX

U.S. Customs & Border Protection

WORK SOURCE

You must pre-register before you go to the job fair.  You can do that by going to this website: www.employmentseeker.net

First Coast News