Job Fair Tips

Well, actually, I’m attending a recruitment fair for the first time today. Discussing this here might seem a bit like “teaching one’s grandmother to suck eggs,” but I think there are some things worth sharing with everyone. I’ll write down my thoughts first, and those with different opinions are welcome to correct me.

Firstly, since I’m only a junior and not looking for a job, I went to the recruitment fair empty-handed. However, I still managed to catch the attention of several companies and left my contact information with them. Of course, if I go again next time, I’ll make sure to bring my resume.

So, how do you get noticed at a recruitment fair? I think, first of all, you need to figure out whether the person at the booth is a professional HR representative or just a novice hired for the occasion. If you see that they’re only collecting resumes and don’t seem interested in having a detailed conversation, then don’t bother submitting your resume. The reason is simple: that company doesn’t take this recruitment seriously. What’s the point of throwing your resume at them? If you really want to work for that company, you can definitely find a better way to do it.

Okay, let’s assume you’re now facing a professional HR representative. What do you do then? Actually, finding a job is similar to being a hacker. First, you need to understand the company’s requirements, i.e., what kind of person they’re looking for. You can usually find this out by browsing the company’s introduction (usually available near the booth) or by asking the HR representative directly. If you discover that your skills and expertise don’t match what they’re looking for, then don’t waste your time asking more questions. For example, some companies might be looking for a teacher, in which case your academic background is crucial. As an undergraduate like me, it’s pointless to even hope for that job – these days, even master’s degrees might not be enough, let alone doctoral degrees.

So, how do you determine whether a job is within your grasp? Firstly, if you think you have the ability, don’t worry about the recruitment requirements. For instance, today I encountered a job posting that required a master’s degree in a computer-related field. Although I’m an undergraduate majoring in measurement and control technology, I still managed to leave my contact information with them without being rejected. Why?

The trick lies in my successful inference of what kind of person the company is looking for:

A classmate in front of me asked:

“Are you only looking for people with a computer-related major? I’m not, but I’ve also learned Java and developed related systems. Would you consider me?”

The HR representative replied:

“How much do you know about Java? Can you do all the things listed above?”

My classmate responded:

“I wouldn’t say I’m too familiar (note this!), but I’ve worked on projects with my supervisor and developed related systems. I think your company doesn’t necessarily need to recruit people with a computer-related major. You’ve listed some requirements that non-majors can also fulfill, so you might consider us.”

The HR representative responded ruthlessly (my description):

“Sorry, but our company doesn’t use Java (remember this!). Our engineers have already developed a game engine using another language. We’re looking for computer majors because they can pick up new languages relatively easily and have a foundation. We don’t recruit non-majors.”

OVER..

Okay, as a hacker, what conclusion would you draw from this information? Does the company not want non-computer majors? Absolutely not.

My conclusion is: the company wants to recruit someone who can start working after minimal training. With so many talented graduates out there, how can they recruit the best? Naturally, they would limit the recruitment to specific majors, and since their company needs to do secondary development (inferred from the previous conversation), they would prefer master’s degree holders who might be more competent.

OK, analysis complete. Now it’s my turn to perform.

Step 1: Getting noticed – attracting the other party’s attention

To attract attention immediately, you need to know what the other party is sensitive to and where their weaknesses lie. Unfortunately, you usually can’t guess this. However, you don’t need to guess it all at once; you just need to know the general direction.

I started by saying:

“Hello, I’m not a computer major either. My major is measurement and control technology. However, I’m familiar with your company’s technology, such as Java. I’m also interested in scripting languages like Python and Lua. I’ve participated in the National University Student Innovation Plan and have experience with XXX, URP, etc. (here, I just bragged a bit)”

Why did I mention scripting languages? Why did I bring up Python and Lua? Firstly, I knew the company was a game development company, and they had their own game engine. Moreover, it wasn’t developed using Java. If you have any knowledge of game engines, you should understand that scripting languages play a crucial role in them. Although you might not know whether they use Python or Lua specifically, you can try to ask the HR representative.

The HR representative (with a gleam in their eye) said:

“Oh, you’re interested in Python? Our engine is developed using C++ and Python. Have you heard of XXXXX?”

I replied:

“No, I haven’t.”

Step 2: Controlling the conversation topic – intentionally leading the enemy into our territory

This part is crucial. Firstly, don’t be afraid of the situation where you bring up a topic like “Python,” and the other party starts attacking you with related terminology. Why? Because, through our analysis, the company isn’t looking for someone who knows Python; otherwise, they would have simply stated that they’re looking for a Python expert. Since they mentioned Java, it means they’re not looking for someone with Python skills specifically. Of course, when they bring up XXXXX, if you don’t want to get into a difficult situation, it’s best not to say you know it unless you really do.

The HR representative continued:

“Do you have a resume with you? What’s your major?”

I answered truthfully and mentioned my projects again – using terminology to bombard them (here, make sure you’re familiar with what you’re talking about, or it’s better not to mention it). The purpose of mentioning my projects is to shift the conversation from my lack of knowledge about Python to my familiar territory, giving the impression that I know everything.

Step 3: Showcasing your professionalism – giving the other party a devastating blow

HR: “We’re looking for someone who can…”

I interrupted: “Secondary development”

HR: “Yes, secondary development”

XXX

XXX

(The following technical conversation is omitted, as it’s not very useful to write it out.)

Here, interrupting the conversation is very useful, as it showcases your professionalism. Try to use industry jargon and argot in your daily conversations.

HR: “I’ll give you our company’s email contact. You leave your phone number and email with me, and we’ll notify you about the interview time later.”

Got it!

I watched as the poor research student left dejectedly after listening to my conversation with the HR representative. I, on the other hand, was busy leaving my contact information. Actually, our levels of expertise might be similar, and he might be very strong. However, looking at his eager expression and seeing how he was rejected, it’s really a pity.

He didn’t know how to showcase himself, didn’t understand the art of language, and didn’t analyze the other party. He was blindly trying his luck and ended up with nothing.

Let’s review his words again:

“I wouldn’t say I’m too familiar, but I’ve worked on projects with my supervisor and developed related systems. I think your company doesn’t necessarily need to recruit people with a computer-related major. You’ve listed some requirements that non-majors can also fulfill, so you might consider us.”

What does “not too familiar” mean? How do you define familiarity? The other party hasn’t set a standard for familiarity, so why set one for yourself? This isn’t the time for humility. If he’s strong, he could have said what he knows – Struts, Hibernate, Spring, Swing, Eclipse, DW (although it’s better not to mention the last two, haha). Just say it, and that’s it. If he’s not very familiar, he could have introduced what he’s done with Java. “Related development” is too vague; the HR representative can’t judge his level of expertise.

And that last sentence, is that something you can say to HR?! The sentence was said too bluntly, adding unnecessary tension to what was originally a friendly conversation. So, the outcome for this student is predictable.

Summary:

After discussing so many techniques, however, you still need to have some real skills to be finally hired. Techniques are important, but they can only make you stand out and get HR’s attention, whether you can be finally hired still depends on your abilities.

During your school years, try to learn more about the positions you want to pursue. There are many new and relevant knowledge areas that schools don’t teach, such as Python, but they’re actually not that difficult. Do you know that mastering these new things often determines whether you can stand out from the crowd?

During your school years, accumulate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem, even if it’s just homework. You must understand that HR may not be extremely capable, and they may not be familiar with everything, so the things you’ve done may seem simple to you, but they might impress them.

Improve your hard skills. Those new and relevant knowledge areas and technical terms may help you get a job, but if you want to remain competitive after entering the company, you need to have corresponding strengths, such as professional knowledge, math skills, programming skills, English proficiency, and literary accomplishments. These are not things that can be achieved overnight and require diligent practice.

 

I hope this article can be of some help to everyone.