Just as moms across the globe have dictated for years ? a first impression is everything. But as experts explain, the preparation for a job fair is far beyond putting on your best clothes and flashing that million-dollar smile.

The key is in your ability to get organized.

“The first thing I would do would be to go to The Career Center?s Web site www.csus.edu/careercenter/employerlistjobfair.htm,” said Carol Leigh Billing, career events specialist for Sacramento State.

At the site is a current list of the employers scheduled to be at the Job Fair, including links for more information where students can see what positions will be offered.

“Very few sights in life are sadder than the look on the face of the engineering student who spent over an hour in line to meet with Xerox, only to find out that Xerox is only interested in hiring sales reps,” said CollegeGrad.com, a Web site that offers tips on job hunting for students and recent graduates.

The Job Fair is an extremely busy place, Billing said, who turned away over 25 companies because of space constrictions. A list of these employers, with links, can be found at www.csus.edu/careercenter/recruitwaitlist.htm. Over 115 employers and companies are confirmed to attend.

As each company is different, so are the qualities behind their ideal employee. E*Trade, one of the companies attending the Job Fair, has posted on its Web site that it is looking for highly energized students who “think like a revolutionary” and have “the courage of a pioneer.” Local television station KCRA wants “serious, upper-division college students interested in pursuing a career in television broadcasting or a closely-related field.” The South San Francisco biotechnology company, Genentech, on the other hand, is seeking employees “who will take risks, accept responsibility, and constantly seek creative solutions.”

To maximize on time, Billing said, students should plan ahead on who they want to visit and “arrive with them set in a list in priority order.”

The most common advice from the experts is to do your homework prior to attending a job fair. Find out the basics behind the companies you plan to speak with, such as what the company does, how big it is, and what it offers to employees.

“Make a list of questions as you do your research,” said Gale Kennedy, an advice columnist with CareerMag.com. “This will give you something to talk about with the contacts you make at the Job Fair and will show that you are an informed potential employee.”

Job fairs, according to CollegeGrad.com, “are not a ?get acquainted session? for you to meet companies. They are multiple interview sessions where the plain vanilla candidates are stepped on and over by those who are targeted and prepared.”

“Bring plenty of copies of your resume,” Billing said. “Be sure to take their card for a follow up so they put a face with the name.”

Like it or not, said CollegeGrad.com, “you?re being evaluated ? whether it?s for 30 seconds or 30 minutes,” so to dress appropriately is also important.

Avoid jeans and tennis shoes so you make the best possible impression, Billing said. “Dress nicer than normal to be taken seriously.”

When your turn arrives, said CollegeGrad.com, “step up with confidence, introduce yourself, and state succinctly your specific career statement and how it fits in with their needs as an employer. You will truly stand apart from the crowd.”