Tips


Take the first steps in fathoming your career during the Career Fair 2020! 

The “Horizons in Molecular Biology” Career Fair provides you the opportunity of getting into touch with representatives of different academic and non-academic fields. Consequently, you will find specific information on diverse job positions, their requirements, and can take the chance in submitting your profile to the companies related to the field of life sciences present at our event. 

Since this event might be the first career fair for some of you, the following section will provide some advice on how you can make your participation in the Horizons Career Fair a personal success. 

 

Define Your Goals – clarify your motivation of participation.

Are you searching for a temporary (eg. internship) or long-term position in the academic/non-academic sector? You want to make contact with company representatives or with our speakers working in life-science related fields? Do you want general or detailed information on job offers and their requirements?

 

Plan the day - do your homework.

Make the following lists:

·  talks you want to attend

·  speakers you want to listen to

·  companies you want to get in contact with

·  workshops you want to participate in

·  where they take place

·  lists of Q&A for each

 

Do your background research.

Inform yourself regarding the people and companies you want to get in touch with. Read the description on our page for specific details on their contribution to the Career Fair, visit their website; familiarize yourself with company product lines and corporate goals.

 

Prepare a Resume – your scientific profile.

Whether you are actively searching for a job on the career fair, a well written, error free resume is a must! Make sure you have multiple copies of both your resume and a list of references at hand. It might be helpful to create a 60-second commercial of yourself.

 

Prepare Questions & Answers.

Your questions should focus on obtaining information on the job you are interested in. Here are some suggestions:

1. What entry-level positions in (your career interest) are available in your company/field?

2. What qualifications, experience or educational background is necessary from a potential employee? 

3. What challenges and opportunities are associated with the position? How much contact and exposure to management is there?

4. What are the backgrounds of other employees in your company or department? 

5. Can I progress at my own pace, or is the career path structured?

6. How do you see the jobs in this field changing over the next five years? What can I do to prepare myself for such changes?

Your answers will show your knowledge on your own qualifications and your determination to follow your career aims.

 

1. Introduce yourself – use your portfolio based on your education and experience.

2. Inform your conversation partner on what your career goals are.

3. Describe the kind of employment you seek.

 

On the day of the Horizons Career Fair

Make a Good First Impression. Display not only confidence and enthusiasm but also interest in the details of the job you are inquiring about.

Practice Your Job-hunting Skills. Even if not currently looking for a job it is worthwhile to talk with as many representatives as possible and to collect information about different career options. Maybe you will learn about career opportunities you didn’t consider so far!

Prepare for a Follow-up. If you are interested in further contact, ask for a business card, company literature, or a follow-up protocol. Take notes about the conversation. These will be valuable to include in a follow-up letter.

 

Reflection of the Horizons Career Fair

Read the Information You Collected - most company/ institution representatives will have information for you, including company brochures or position descriptions. Take your time after the fair to carefully look into it.

Contact Companies - in thinking about the company’s needs and your background, evaluate whether a company that interests you might be a match for you. Then, use the business cards you collected on the career fair as soon as possible to write follow-up notes to those companies and institutions that seem interesting and suitable for you.

 

Good luck and enjoy your time at the Horizons Career Fair!