Career Fairs

Before attending a career fair there are some activities that you can participate in which can improve your chances of gaining interest from future employers and making some positive contacts. Some career fairs may require registration and some may not. If registration is needed, be sure to signup early to ensure you will have admission to the event.

Before the career fair:

  • Polish your resume.
  • Know your career goals.
  • Create your own business cards. You can make your own and print them yourself or use a service such as Vistaprint or OfficeMax.
  • Research and study the organizations attending the event.
  • Create a list of interview questions that you will ask employers.
  • Practice interview questions.
  • Pick out and have ready your career fair attire.
  • Practice a 30-40 second personal commercial that answers the question: “Tell me something about yourself”.

Job seekers can speak directly with employers who might have job opportunities at career fairs. Is it important to have the right expectations of what both you and employers can do during career fairs.

You can expect to:

  • Have the ability to introduce yourself to potential employers.
  • Answer questions from potential employers.
  • Ask questions to potential employers about information not readily available on employer websites.

What not to expect:

  • To be awarded a job offer.
  • To have an on-the-spot interview. (Always be prepared for an interview but do not set this expectation for employers)

During the career fair:

  • Dress appropriately and professionally.
  • Bring copies of your resume and dress professionally.
  • Bring pen and paper.
  • Ask intelligent questions about the organizations you’re speaking with.
  • Leave your business card and resume with each recruiter you speak with and gather business cards from them as well.
  • Take notes after meeting with a recruiter. Be sure to write down any follow-up commitments you may have discussed.
  • Always remain polite and professional.
  • Network with other job seekers during the event.

After the career fair:

  • After the event send thank-you emails to your contacts. Thank them for sharing about their company and meeting with you. Ask about the next steps in the recruitment process.

Workshops

Various free career related skills workshops are listed on the EVENTS page. Registration for some workshops is required, please check each workshop’s description to see if you need to register for these events. Career services is always updating the EVENTS page and finding more resources, so please check the EVENTS page frequently to stay informed of workshops available to you.