Australia Career Fair Day

Join Le Cordon Bleu Australia Career Fair Day to meet and network with industry leaders. Open to all Le Cordon Bleu Australia students and alumni!

Why attend a Career Fair, what to expect and how to act...

To learn more about employers than you can learn from their websites. You learn about the culture of an organization when you meet their people, and you can ask questions.
Much of the job search process - before you can even get an interview - for both you, the job seeker, and for the employer in trying to find good candidates, is not done in person. It involves employers screening resumes and cover letters, and you reading about employers and viewing their websites, and the like. Take advantage of opportunities to meet employers face-to-face.

Know which employers are attending: research their websites, thoroughly. You do not need to know their YTD Financial information but you should know their parent companies, affiliated chains, locations (in relation to your placement or career aspirations), why they appeal to you and what kind of business they are (family resort, five-star luxury brand, fine-dining restaurant, corporate hotel etc. etc.)

Prepare a 20 to 30 second introduction to use with employers. You don't want to sound like a telephone solicitor reading a script; you do want to sound like you thought about why you're there. It might be something like, "Hello. I'm Ana Clarke, I’m studying the Bachelor of International Hotel Management degree. I'm looking for a placement in Food and Beverage. I read on your web site that (name of company) has a placement program in your F&B department, and I've done some previous F&B/other hospitality related work that I believe gave me skills that will assist me with undertaking a placement with your organisation. I'm very interested in your program." Get the idea? Keep in mind that some employer representatives may take control of the conversation quickly and you may do more listening than speaking, but you do want to be prepared to be proactive rather than passive.

Be aware that most employers at Career Fairs do not want to be given copies of your resume. They will require you to apply directly to their website OR go through your Careers Services advisor, however, bring your resume and/or portfolio of work with you just in case someone does ask to see it. Always best to be prepared for any situation!

Prepare questions in advance:
Employers want employees who are proactive, thoughtful, and listen well. Make yourself stand out with smart questions.

Don't ask about:

• Don’t ask "what does your company do?" This is a major annoyance to employers; you should know this in advance.
• Don't ask for information you could have easily learned on the employer's website.
• Don't ask about salary and benefits. (The employer should initiate discussion of those topics. A job/career fair is not the place for a job seeker to initiate this.)

Do ask for information you could not find on the employer's website. Examples of good questions:

• What kind of person are you seeking for placement positons? What do you look for when considering students for placements within your organisation?
• What particular skills do you value most?
• What do you like about working for your organisation?
• What are current issues that your organization is facing that would have an impact on new hires?
  (Remember that some employers have employee testimonials on their website. Check those out in advance.)

Have an open mind. You may have a number of employers on your target list to speak with. If you have extra time, or have to wait to speak with an employer, take advantage of the opportunity to chat with other employers who aren't busy. You might learn something to your advantage or your surprise. At the least, you'll be practicing initiating a conversation in a less formal business environment - and this is an essential skill in any work environment.

This is your opportunity to be evaluated on more than just your resume. In many aspects of the job search, your resume (and cover letter) is (are) all the employer sees to determine whether to interview you. At a fair, you have an opportunity to stand out in person in a way that you might not on your resume. Interpersonal skills, communication skills and work-place-appropriate social skills are critical. Many employers evaluate these skills heavily, because they want to hire people who can make a good impression on their clients and customers.

Above all, be professional. Remember you are representing yourself and Le Cordon Bleu.

Adelaide

Paticipating industry leaders:

• Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG)
• Hyatt Hotels
• ACCOR Hotels
• One&Only Hayman Island
• Hamilton Island
• Stamford Hotels
• Mayfair Hotel Adelaide
• Adelaide Convention Centre
• Great Southern Rail
• Adelaide Oval SMA
• National Wine Centre Adelaide
• Skycity Adelaide
• Starwood Hotel Group
• Crown Casino Melbourne
• Langham Hotel Melbourne
• Muratti’s Patisserie
• LuxBite Patisserie Melbourne
• Stamford
• Grand Chancellor
• and many more...

Sydney

Paticipating industry leaders:

• Accor Hotels NSW
• Hamilton Island
• Shangri-La
• Park Hyatt Sydney
• Hilton Worldwide
• Starwood
• Sofitel Wentworth Sydney
• The Grace Hotel
• Black Star Pastry
• Victorie Boulangier
• Merival
• Keystone Group
• Jonah's Whale Beach
• Nucleus International Recruitment
• TFE hotels
• and many more...