career fair @ NTU

Popped down to the career fair in school today. It was quite interesting I have to say, I’ve always had a fear of attending a career fair, probably because I didn’t want to remind myself that I really have to get a job soon. But I guess it’s not that bad.
However, I’ve always wondered why people dress up for the career fair. Granted, I know why they dress up, but I don’t understand the logic of dressing up (not that I am encouraging you to try your luck while dressed in your sloppiest) complete with tie, and those business bags. Many of my friends go through the trouble of dressing up yearly for this event. 

dress for success?

 

Let me state first that I do understand why people dress up. They want to make a good impression and hopefully get the interview done right here in school. And of course, our parents, teachers and friends influence us that whenever you attend something “business-y”, you better be dressed for success.  This is of course logical, if you are attending a job interview outside, at the whatever company you are looking for a job at. But this career fair is in school, in NTU. Why do we need to bother to dress up? 

First of all, dressing up doesn’t guarantee you a job (in fact, everyone else is dressed up) or an interview. Secondly, if you are really interested in a job, have all the necessary qualifications, I’m sure if you speak to the person at the booth, your enthusiasm will be rubbed off onto the person won’t it? 

To even have the chance of getting an interview, you have to first talk to the person at the booth. Then the person has to decide if it is worth their time interviewing you. And that will depend on your character, your enthusiasm and how much of a potential ‘fit’ you are to their company. 

So, if I am just dressed neatly in a polo shirt, are they going to tell me, “sorry, I cannot speak to you because you are not in a shirt, pants and tie”?  I doubt so. If in the first place, I know that that is the job I want, I have done the research necessary, and am completely sure that I am a good fit for the company, I believe I stand a better chance of seizing an interview wearing a polo shirt compared to a person who is just trying his luck (and dressed up). 

Who are we kidding here? If you were to ask anyone at the booth this question, “Do you think this is how university students dress up everyday?” What do you think their answer will be? Of course they know this is not how we dress, so they are not expecting that everyone dresses up that way. 

However, if you are going somewhere for a formal interview, of course you have to dress up. Because people are expecting you to dress up. 

I think the students in NTU are just too busy trying to impress, rather than actually impressing through their character, knowledge and enthusiasm alone. 

people who dress up do not know what they want

 

People who dress up for such events go there with the mindset of a “lucky dip”, that they will go there and “look around” and “hope” to find something they like, and then “hope” they get the interview. After all, it is a career fair, that’s why they are there. They don’t really know what they want yet, perhaps just 80%. The remaining 20%, they leave it to chance and fate at the fair. 

It is really not necessary folks. 

People who dress up for such events, held at their own place of study, are obviously the people who haven’t sorted out what they really want yet.

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