I love the fall for a number of reasons – cooler temperatures, the leaves changing colours, hot chocolate – but the most important reason is because I get to travel around the world, attend some pretty amazing events (QS and The MBA Tour host lots of fairs, panels, and presentations), and meet incredibly talented candidates, like yourself, who are looking for more information about our MBA program.

Today we thought to share how to make the most of your time at the MBA fairs/events you’ll be attending. Here are a few pieces of advice:

1. Spend some time introducing yourself.  When attending these events, take a few moments to introduce yourself to us. We’d love to know more about your background and how you’ll be able to contribute to your future class at Rotman, and once we know more about you, we can better answer your questions too!

2. Ask the right questions. After taking a few moments to introduce yourself, start delving into questions about how Rotman can help your further your career and achieve your goals. Here are some examples of questions: What role does the Career Centre play in helping students find jobs? How would you describe the social aspect of student life at Rotman? What sort of leadership development programs are available to students? What resources are available to students interested in entrepreneurship? Can prospective candidates set up a class visit?

3. Make an impression! In addition to an engaging in a meaningful conversation, you’ll want to make an impression. I’ve seen students do this in a number of ways, like establishing great eye contact, having a strong handshake, telling a memorable story, bringing a hard copy of their resume, or exchanging business cards.

4. Do your homework. Showing that you know a bit, or a lot, about Rotman indicates that you’re serious about doing your MBA and are ready to take the next step in your research.

5. Dress to impress. There’s no need to buy a new suit for an event, but make sure you put your best foot forward by wearing appropriate clothing so that you appear poised and professional. Track pants are great for the gym but not for an MBA fair.

6. Most importantly, be yourself! We are excited to hear your story and your goals. Letting the real “you” shine through means we can best help you achieve your goals through the MBA- And we will eagerly share more information with you about how Rotman can help you advance your career.

I hope this advice is helpful in preparing for our upcoming events, both on campus and off. For more tips, you may also want to check out the official blog of The MBA Tour. Also, don’t forget about our Open House on Saturday, October 18, 2014. To register for the event, click here.