Career Directions

Career Directions FAQ's for Students

• What is Career Directions?
• When is SAIT's career fair?
• What can I do to prepare?
• Get involved!
• Testimonials
• Exhibitors at Career Directions on February 15, 2012

What is Career Directions?

SAIT Student Services hosts a career fair bi-annually in the fall and winter of each academic year. The fair is an excellent opportunity for students and Alumni to communicate career opportunities with employers and professional associations.

When is SAIT's career fair?

Winter Career Directions 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 9 am - 3 pm

What can I do to prepare?

SAIT Student Employment Services offers a Career Directions Prep Workshop prior to the event. Check the online job board one week prior to Career Directions or email Student Employment for more information. The following steps will help you in your employment search.

• Company Research
  Visit the Employer's page prior to the Career Directions.  Discover what businesses are registered to attend. Visit the business websites to start the research process. This research will help you to formulate questions to ask during the career fair. If you thoroughly research a business, you will likely impress recruiters with your professional approach to your career exploration and your job search.
  

• Prepare Your Questions
  Develop a list of questions for the companies that interest you after you have researched the businesses.
  

• Prepare Your Documents
  Bring several copies of your résumé.  Be prepared to provide a copy to recruiters at the career fair. If you leave a copy of your résumé with a recruiter, make a written record of this. 
  Ask for a business card. Consider creating your own business card. It is a good networking technique to exchange business cards with recruiters and individuals that you meet and interact with throughout the day.  While having copies of your résumé available is important, keep in mind many employers prefer to have people apply through their website.
  

• Plan Your Arrival Time
  Plan to visit Career Directions first thing in the morning. This is the least busiest time and you have a better chance of connecting with recruiters. It is typically busy over the lunch hour. Try to arrive before 2:45 pm as recruiters will be packing up and leaving at 3 pm.
  

• Dress the Part
  First impressions are important! Dress as you would for a job interview. You will help business representatives and recruiters imagine you working in their workplace.
  

• Act the Part
  Introduce yourself and offer a firm handshake when meeting recruiters.  Provide information about your background (year and area of study or graduation date) and refer to the questions that you have prepared. Ask for the recruiter’s permission to take notes or when helping yourself to their company material.
  

• Follow up
  Follow up with each and every employer within one week of the career fair.  Use the business cards you collected. You can follow up in writing, by email or by phone. Remember to ask the recruiter the preferred method of following up.
  

• Follow the balloons to find your new employer
  The employer booths will display colored balloons that correspond to your academic school or program.  Employers have indicated which Academic Schools they will be hiring from.
  

Get involved!

We are always looking for student volunteers to help with Career Directions. Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet employers one-on-one, get experience and add to your résumé.  Oh, and have fun!

Volunteers will:

• Greet employers
• Transport displays
• Hand out directories
• Provide lunch coverage
• Direct student traffic
• Occupy the Information Booth

If you are interested in volunteering, please email Career Directions.

Testimonials

“SAIT Career Directions Fall 2011 was another first-class event! Feedback from students and instructors was positive, staff and student volunteers were welcoming and friendly. A great opportunity to network with students, Alumni and other exhibitors. Looking forward to the next event in Winter 2012.”

Russ Medvedev, MA
Director of Communications and Member Services
The Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET)