Focus, grasshopper

At the Job Fair, one thing I noticed with young job seekers was a tendency to be too open minded and broad. Here's the problem right now with the market- there are plenty of applicants for most roles. You have to stand out. How do you do that? What is your "it" factor?

The biggest thing you can do to separate yourself from others is to paint the picture that you want this job SO badly and to illustrate how you are the best match. Any ambivalence to the position ( sending form resumes out in mass) can be spotted by most HR professionals. They are looking for the most qualified and enthusiastic candidates.

You can show how you are qualified by reading their job description and requirements very carefully and tailoring your resume to them. Sometimes the skill they are looking for is buried on your resume. Make sure you put a spotlight on those skills you have that are a match for their needs. This might mean having a few versions of your resume ready to send to different types of jobs you are willing to do. But the resume that they get should seem focused and like you are destined to do X in your next job. You don't want a resume that seems so broad and open minded that you seem to not care what you do. They want to know that your heart's desire is to do the job you are applying to do and that you have a tool kit to back it up. Because they have so many options in this marketplace, you need to stand out as the most enthusiastic and best fit for the position.

You can also use your cover letter to help draw attention to relevant experience in your resume and to tell the story of why you want this position and what you bring to the role. At a job fair, you probably don't have time to write personal letters, but you could plan ahead for companies on the web site and write up those letters with the information provided. If you are coming to a job fair to speak to a specific company, you should tailor your resume ( with an objective that matches the position) and consider writing a cover letter as well. Generic resumes reflect generic candidates. You don't want to attract the wrong type of attention ( scented paper), but you also need to stand out from the pack.

At the Fair, my number one reflection was that people who knew what they wanted and had a clear picture painted about where they want to go and what they want to do are more successful.
Those people that came with a game plan about which companies would be there and had clean, easy to read resumes and a nice appearance seemed happier with their results. Of course, you never know what interesting opportunities will occur at a job fair and so it is a good idea to be open minded, but you want to present a demeanor that you know just where you want to go.
To me, focus and determination are two key factors in surviving a job search right now. The employers want the best, most qualified and hard working employees. You have to sell yourself like never before now.