5 Ways to Make the Most Out of a Career Fair

With the Spring All Majors Career Fair taking place Jan. 22 – 23, students should be making preparations for the event and to talk with prospective employers. 

The first step to attending the event is to register through CareerBuzz, though walk-up attendance is also permitted.

A few tips for students to be prepared:  

1. Attend the fair. This may seem obvious, but not every student does. The event offers networking opportunities for students of all majors. If you get there and talk to an employer who is looking for engineering students and you're a liberal arts or sciences major, ask if they have colleagues you could contact about opportunities in other areas of their business. 

2. Practice. Most students know to practice for an interview, but not a fair. Preparing a 20- to 30-second “elevator pitch” that briefly captures who you are, what you offer, and what you’re looking for can help you feel confident when you talk with recruiters. Practice delivering a smooth elevator pitch, giving a firm handshake, and making good eye contact. 

3. Plan your strategy. To make the most of your time at the fair, review the company list to know who will be there and identify priority employers to target. Look online at the list of employers attending the fair to see which companies you want to talk with and look up background information on those employers.  

4. Get — and stay — organized. Have a plan for how to keep everything organized as you get materials during the fair. You may walk out with a lot of business cards and handouts, and it can be overwhelming. Take only the information you need, and make notes on the back of business cards or on your phone to remember key discussion points for when you follow up after the fair. 

5. Follow up. If recruiters instruct you to apply on CareerBuzz after the fair, be sure to do so promptly. Also, many recruiters use LinkedIn as a resource for filling positions, and students should be visible and active there. Students should connect on LinkedIn with anyone they spoke to at the fair. Even if the request isn’t accepted, students will have gotten their names in front of the recruiter one more time. The request should be paired with a follow-up email as well.  

Attending the fair is about more than just employment. Coming out with a solid lead is a great goal, but it’s also about networking and the experience of participating in the fair. Learn more about how to prepare for the fair.

The Spring All Majors Career Fair takes place Jan. 22 – 23 in the Exhibition Hall, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Students should wear professional business attire and bring their BuzzCard and several copies of their resume. Students can register to attend the fair through CareerBuzz for priority access. Walk-up attendance is also welcome.