Career Fair Prep

The four main areas to focus on to prepare for a career fair
  • Polish Your Resume (resources HERE)
  • Research Companies
  • Craft an Introduction
  • Dress to Impress (see CAMPUS CLOSET to borrow business attire for free)
Be ready to share

The ability to introduce yourself comfortably and concisely will be appreciated by recruiters. Your ability to connect with representatives at the fair, have authentic and natural conversations, and build relationships will be one of the greatest outcomes you can get from a career fair.

  • Who you are
  • What you’ve done/are doing
  • What you are excited about/next steps
  • Smile
  • State your name, major, class year
  • Share information about your background and have a solid conclusion/end on a question
  • Classes, skills, involvement, internships/co-op/research/part-time work

EXAMPLE: 

Student: “Hello, I am Laura Triana.”
Employer: “Hi Laura, I’m Jane. Nice to meet you!”
Student: “It’s nice to meet you too. To share more about my background, I am a first-year student studying Business Administration with a minor in French. Outside of school, I work part-time at Ace Hardware assisting customers, helping with the cash register, and maintaining inventory. I also oversee communications for the French Club, which has helped me hone my written communication and promotional skills. These experiences have confirmed my interest in marketing, and when I was researching more about Newell Rubbermaid, I noticed that you have a Brand Marketing Internship role open. I would love to hear more about the position and what you are seeking from a candidate for this role.”
  • Tip: show curiosity about the other person
  • DO NOT WRITE A PARAGRAPH. Jot down bullet points similar to the sample above, and practice saying it out loud (in a mirror or record yourself on video) until you can comfortably speak about your points.
Ask Good Questions

For many representatives, hearing informed, intelligent questions from a potential candidate will make them sit up and take notice. It will enable you to have a real and productive conversation with the employer about their work and a potential fit for you. For this reason, it can be helpful to think ahead about some questions you could ask that would lead to a conversation. If you have questions specific to their work areas or jobs posted, even better.

Here is a helpful formula:

Make a statement of your research. Ask a more specific question.

Examples:

  • I saw on CareerBuzz that you are hiring for ____ position and are seeking ____ skills. Could you tell me more about any additional qualities you are seeking from a future hire?
  • I reviewed your company mission and ____ really resonated with me. How might this position contribute to the overall goals of your organization?
  • I reviewed CareerBuzz and your company job board, but I was unsure about open roles that may be a match for my major and skills I shared in my introduction. Can you please tell me more about the roles you are seeking that may be a fit for my background?

General Questions:

  • Can you tell me about your experience working for COMPANY NAME?
  • I’d love to learn more about careers related to my major. Can you tell me more about your organization and any roles you think could be a good fit?
  • What areas of the company are growing most right now?
  • Can you tell me more about specific skills you value in a candidate?
Follow Up
  • Try to get names, titles, and contact info (likely business cards) from contacts you speak with. Send a 2-3 sentence email referencing your conversation within 24 hours to help build that relationship. In your own words:
  • Thank the person for their time and remind them of the specifics of your conversation.
  • State “As we discussed, I am very interested in this position because I have ___, ___, and ___, which fit well with your needs.”
  • Finish with a brief goodwill sentiment, “Hope to hear from you soon.”
  • Consider connecting with them on LinkedIn and include a brief note thanking them for their time and touching on what you appreciated from your conversation with them.
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