As UNI looms near I thought it might be useful to start this thread. The aim is to help others prepare, strategize and succeed in Waterloo. Perhaps a little insider trading as well, if you get my drift. :wink: I don't know how many of you are going to be there but there must be a few of us. I attended the XXX fair and found it to be very organized and professional. (At least on UNI's side.)
So fire away! Any questions, concerns, etc... I would be glad to share my experiences.
UNI - XXXII - Support Thread
2008 UNI Fair
I too am attending the 2008 UNI Fair. I have attended once (2006) at was very impressed with the overall organization of the fair, and the schools attending the fair.
If anyone also has questions feel free to ask me as well!
Samuraiwriter, I am sure that I will be sending a few questions your way as the fair gets closer!
If anyone also has questions feel free to ask me as well!
Samuraiwriter, I am sure that I will be sending a few questions your way as the fair gets closer!
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samuraiwriter
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:34 am
Early Friday, get folders, attend pre-interview pow-wow and then... let the cattle call begin. You wait outside the convention hall like you are waiting for a Stones concert in Leeds circa 1968. Doors open, rush in, plan your interviews and chill. Sat, interviews interviews interviews... Sunday Superbowl.
Truely have a plan. Do your research. Know where you want to go, who wants you and who you want to hit for an interview first. Contact prior would help too... I love it. I have everything pretty well mapped out before hand and it is all about execution.
If you are not staying at the Ramada (unless you are at Quality next door) rent a car. The shuttle, from what I have heard from many is not good. Waterloo (ALO) airport has a couple of car rental services on site.
Good luck, see you there.
Truely have a plan. Do your research. Know where you want to go, who wants you and who you want to hit for an interview first. Contact prior would help too... I love it. I have everything pretty well mapped out before hand and it is all about execution.
If you are not staying at the Ramada (unless you are at Quality next door) rent a car. The shuttle, from what I have heard from many is not good. Waterloo (ALO) airport has a couple of car rental services on site.
Good luck, see you there.
UNI
I think you either love job fairs or hate them. Personally I think they are exciting, challenging events. Depending on how old you are the UNI fair might remind you of registration at university when the doors were thrown open and you rushed in to register for classes.
You need to have a plan and be organised in order to take full advantage of the fair. When those doors are opened you will not have time to determine what schools you want to sign up with. Have your list in hand and head right for those schools at the top of it. Having said that we once took a job at school that we had never heard of but there was no lineup and it ended up being the best job we have had so far.
Have your resume ready along with a picture and be prepared to sell yourself in less than a minute. Make sure when scheduling interviews that you give yourself time to move from interview to interview, there is nothing worse than having to excuse yourself from an interview thats going really well because you have another one scheduled immediately afterwards. If possible try to schedule some breathing space to decompress and process. We have had up to 8 interviews on the first day and its important that you have time to process what you have learned.
Check your fair mailbox often as things change fast and directors are always dropping notes into it. However, don't get discouraged if nothing is in your mailbox at the beginning of the fair as some directors are good about making contact and some aren't.
Don't carry a lot of stuff with you because you will probable end up carrying it all day. I once carried a portfolio all day only to have 1 director out of 8 want to look at it. Your interviews will only be 30 minutes or less and they want to talk to you.
In the end its important that you don't get overwhelmed or intimidated and that you have fun. I think there are jobs out here for every teacher who wants one.
You need to have a plan and be organised in order to take full advantage of the fair. When those doors are opened you will not have time to determine what schools you want to sign up with. Have your list in hand and head right for those schools at the top of it. Having said that we once took a job at school that we had never heard of but there was no lineup and it ended up being the best job we have had so far.
Have your resume ready along with a picture and be prepared to sell yourself in less than a minute. Make sure when scheduling interviews that you give yourself time to move from interview to interview, there is nothing worse than having to excuse yourself from an interview thats going really well because you have another one scheduled immediately afterwards. If possible try to schedule some breathing space to decompress and process. We have had up to 8 interviews on the first day and its important that you have time to process what you have learned.
Check your fair mailbox often as things change fast and directors are always dropping notes into it. However, don't get discouraged if nothing is in your mailbox at the beginning of the fair as some directors are good about making contact and some aren't.
Don't carry a lot of stuff with you because you will probable end up carrying it all day. I once carried a portfolio all day only to have 1 director out of 8 want to look at it. Your interviews will only be 30 minutes or less and they want to talk to you.
In the end its important that you don't get overwhelmed or intimidated and that you have fun. I think there are jobs out here for every teacher who wants one.