DesignExpo FAQ's
Question: How
do I register for DesignExpo?
Answer:
Eligible students will receive an invitation via email that will allow them to register for the event. Carefully follow the instructions on the invitation.
Question: What happens when I register?
Answer: After registering for the event, you will receive several follow-up emails from the Career Services staff. These emails will include updates about the event as well as details regarding the actual day. As a result of registering, you will also receive a professional nametag that will be created on your behalf. You will pick up your nametag once you arrive at the event, demonstrating preparedness to the employers with whom you interact.
Question: What are "Invitiation-Only Reviews"?
Answer: Invitation-Only Reviews, for the purpose of DesignExpo, are 15- minute appointments that will allow you to showcase your work to an employer representative. Organization representatives use these Reviews in order to select candidates to interview for internships or full-time postions within their companies.
Employers will preview student portfolios prior to the event and select who they wish to interview.
Question: What should I do to prepare for the event?
Answer: First, research the list of companies that are planning to attend the event (see Researching a Company resources) in detail, focusing on those that are recruiting for your major. Examine how the organizations align with your interests, values, and career goals. Since you will be invited to meet with those employers who find you interesting, it is important to have an understanding of each company -- just in case they select you for a review!
Researching each organization is also important because you will have the chance to interact with those who did not select you for a review during the Open Networking period. Formulate a "Wish List' before the day of the event arrives and plan who you'd like to speak to during Open Networking based on what your schedule looks like during the Invitiation-Only time periods.
Prepare your 30-second spot, or “elevator speech" ahead of time as well. An elevator speech will serve as your introduction to the employer and will allow you to begin discussing how your skills and interests align with the company for which they work as you transition to showing them your portfolio.
For additional information on how to prepare for the event, check out these resources.
Question: How do I approach the Open Networking period?
Answer: First, research the list of companies that are planning to attend the event (see Researching a Company resources) in detail, focusing on those that are recruiting for your major. Examine how the organizations align with your interests, values, and career goals and formulate a "Wish List" of those you'd like to speak with most.
Prepare your 30-second spot, or “elevator speech.". An elevator speech will serve as your introduction to the employer when you approach them and will allow you to begin discussing how your skills and interests align with the company for which they work.
When you pick up your portfolio and profile sheet, measure your "Wish List" against who invited you for a portfolio review. If a company appears on your "Wish List" but not on your schedule for the Invitation-Only Review period, plan to approach their table during the Open Networking period.
When the Open Networking period begins, approach the employer's table, firmly shake their hand, and introduce yourself with your prepared elevator speech. You may have to wait in line, so plan this one-hour and fifteen-minute time frame wisely, devoting your time to those employers about whom you are most excited.
Question: Why is it important for me to meet with employers who are "scouting for talent"?
Answer: You may find in your research before DesignExpo that there are some employers who are attending the event and have identified that they will have “no open positions” but “will be reviewing portfolios and scouting talent.” It is important for you to come to DesignExpo and meet face-to-face with these employers on the day of the event to showcase your skill sets and to network with professionals in your industry.
You might be wondering why employers might be coming just to “scout talent”. In a typical job market, “…[o]nly about 5-20% of all job openings are ever publicly known, which results in about four-fifths, or 70-85% of the job market being ‘closed.’ This means that it is difficult to find new openings unless one does some digging. Strategies for uncovering the hidden job market include networking…” (Taken from the “Job Seeker Glossary” on Quintcareers.com). As you are aware, the job market right now is not exactly “typical” -- it is tighter and much more competitive that it has been in recent years.
Therefore, developing a strong professional network is going to be an essential factor in determining the success of your job search. Rather than focusing your attention only on employers who have open positions, it is VITAL to make personal connections with employers and individuals in the industry that you wish to enter. At DesignExpo, by taking the time to meet with employers face-to-face, you have the opportunity to demonstrate your talents, to convey your enthusiasm for their organization, and to impress them with your knowledge and past experiences.
If all of this information has not yet convinced you, here is the logic behind making these face-to-face meetings a priority in your job or internship search -- if you have proven your knowledge and skills to someone at DesignExpo who is “scouting talent”, your name may surface on a short-list of candidates they reach out to when a new position does become available. Don’t YOU want to be on that list?
Question: What
should I wear?
Answer: Use your best judgment when choosing attire for the day of DesignExpo. It is possible that the employer who ultimately hires you encourages a casual day-to-day work environment; however, it is important to keep in mind that you will be meeting with and be seen by many employers over the course of the afternoon who represent a wide variety of work cultures. With that being said, it is recommended that you dress to the highest common denominator and not to
the lowest.
Be prepared -- you may see organization representatives dressed in jeans at the Expo. Since these individuals are employed, this type of clothing may be appropriate for the organization they are representing. Since you are not yet employed, jeans are inappropriate and you should instead dress at a level higher than everyday dress.
Still confused? Choose an outfit that you would wear to a nice restaurant.
If you have questions about what to wear based on the industry you are aiming to enter, check out this website and/or stop by the Career Services Center and speak with a counselor.
Question: What
should I expect when I arrive?
Answer: When you arrive in the Gallagher Center in the morning, check in and obtain your nametag. At this time, you will also be expected to drop off copies of your resume, your profile sheet, and your portfolio with a Career Services Staff member.
Between 11:00am and 12:00pm, you can come back to the Gallagher Center to pick up your portfolio and profile sheet. When you have these materials in hand, measure your "Wish List" against who invited you for a portfolio review. If a company appears on your "Wish List" but not on your schedule for the Invitation-Only Review period, plan to approach their table during the Open Networking period.
Question: What
about a business card and my resume?
Answer: Business cards can be an effective way to keep in touch
with individuals you meet but they are certainly not a material that is required to attend the event. When meeting with representatives from organizations in which you have an interest, don't forget to ask for their card. At this time, you can also offer your own business card (if you have them). As for your resume -- make sure to bring multiple copies along with you.
Question: What
should be in my portfolio?
Answer: The types of pieces that you include in your portfolio depend on your discipline, the types of organizations you hope to work with and the skill sets that you posses. For more information regarding
your portfolio, check out the new
portfolio-related resources on the Career Services website. As you will see on the following webpage (Creative/Design Portfolios)
each of the resources indicate the industry to which it is most
connected. It is highly encouraged, however, that you consider
reviewing ALL of the employers' tips, as the advice they offer may prove useful to you as someone hoping to enter the design profession.
As a general rule, however, arrange the contents of your portfolio in a clean,
neat and organized fashion. Attempt to demonstrate
the process(es) involved with your work and try to show as many
different skills as possible.
Attention Animation & Interactive Design & Media students:
Be prepared to pass along a link to your online portfolio to the Career Services staff AT LEAST one day prior to the DesignExpo event. We will be compiling a page of web addresses to ease the employers' preview of your work. This method of previewing your online portfolio will be how they select who they'd like to invite for a full portfolio review later in the day.
Please also save samples of your work either on a jump drive or on a CD and plan to bring those to DesignExpo during the review and networking times. These resources will serve as a back-up to your Internet accessible web page.
All other majors must bring physical portfolios (as opposed to digital versions) to the event for employers to review.
Quesiton: Which organizations are recruiting from my major?
Answer: For a list of attendees that will be at the event view the main student page.
If
you have any questions feel free to contact us at
215.951.2930 or email to careerservices@philau.edu.
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