If your answer is yes, then you are ready to make a jumpstart on your career and educational goals. UW Platteville is hosting its annual Criminal Justice Career Day in the Williams Fieldhouse on March 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and you are invited. It is an opportunity for you to speak with recruiters from various organizations as well as to obtain information for future educational goals through the online BSCJ and MSCJ degree programs. The benefits you reap by attending events such as Criminal Justice Career Day are the networking opportunities that it provides for you. It will give you the opportunity to meet representatives that will share information about specific careers, career-related questions, and immediate and future employment opportunities with their company. You also have the chance to meet distance learning staff who can answer questions about being admitted and getting registered in online courses that might better suit your future educational needs.

Now that you are aware of the advantages that await you, the next question to ask yourself is how to prepare for the employment opportunities inherent in this event. In order to best prepare, ask yourself "How can I market myself?" Remember that first impressions are very important!! With this in mind, here are 8 tips to keep in mind as you prepare for this event:

1. Familiarize yourself with the employers who will be attending.

2. Do some research to see the hiring needs of particular companies of interest.

3. Develop well thought out career-related questions to ask recruiters.

4. Prepare yourself for any immediate interviews that could occur.

5. Remember you're there to market yourself, so don't dress casually.

6. Bring many copies of your resume with you to give and pass out to recruiters.

7. Approach the recruiters with a smile, and demonstrate confidence, enthusiasm, and maturity.

8. If you want to be ahead of the game come EARLY before the peak time so that you can have more opportunities open to you.