Preparing for Education Recruitment Day

BEFORE EDUCATION RECRUITMENT DAY

• Look at the list of schools that will be attending. You are able to do a search by endorsement area to see what schools are seeking teachers in your endorsement area.
• You will be able to directly link to each school's website to find out more about the system. The more you know about the school, the better your interaction will be with its recruiters!
• Develop and prioritize your list of recruiters whom you would like to speak with so that you can use your time as efficiently as possible. When you come to the fair, you will receive a packet that will include a map with table numbers of where the schools are located in the Centennial Room/Ballroom.
• Plan to spend three to four hours meeting with school recruiters. Most schools will be conducting informal interviews throughout the day. Some schools will be doing formal interviews in private interviewing areas.
• Get a good night's sleep the night before because it will take lots of energy to be on for several hours.

ON THE DAY OF THE FAIR

What to wear: Interview attire is recommended. Make sure that your clothing is clean, well pressed, and professional. Recruiters will expect you to wear appropriate attire and to be well groomed . You may be on your feet for a long time, so if you will be wearing new shoes, take the time to break them in before the day of the fair!

Parking: If you do not have a valid UNL parking permit and need UNL parking for one day, contact UNL Parking and Transit Services at 472-1800 for information on possible parking options. Parking tickets cannot be waived by our office.

What to bring: Bring copies of your resume. If you need more copies during the day, the Copy Center is located on the first floor of the Union. Bring a pen and paper to jot down names and notes. Be sure to pick up the recruiters' business cards when possible so that you can make further contact, if needed. Most recruiters will not take the time to look through a teaching portfolio; others may be interested in seeing a condensed portfolio. You will not need credentials for Education Recruitment Day.

GETTING STARTED:

• Attend the Orientation Session covering how to utilize the career fair conducted by Dr. Becky Faber, Assistant Director-Education, from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. in the Auditorium of the City Union. UNL students, alumni, and non-UNL education students are welcome to attend.
• You will receive a list of known vacancies to see which schools have openings in your endorsement area. A list of last-minute openings will be posted in the alcove at the north end of the second floor stairwell on the day of the fair.
• Maps of Nebraska and the United States will be posted in the alcove area for you to be able to see where specific schools/towns are located.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

• Be prepared to wait in line. At certain times of the day and with certain schools, you may find that you will have to wait before speaking to a recruiter. Keep your smile going, even if you are feeling frustrated.
• Most schools will not be prepared to offer contracts at a career fair. If you are offered a contract by a school, let them you know that you would like to make an on-site visit before making a decision or signing any document. Most schools will want to do an on-site interview before deciding on a specific candidate.

*****You are going to learn a lot about schools and administrators from this experience, so keep your eyes and ears open. Besides marketing yourself at a career fair, you will also learn about what schools are looking for and how they approach the hiring process.*****