It’s career fair season, and our Employee Services team is sharing their top 5 tips to help you maximize your success at your college career fair.
1. Come prepared. Prior to attending the career fair, review the list of employers who will be present, and invest time researching organizations that interest you. Doing so will allow you to ask focused and specific questions, which demonstrates a genuine interest in the organization. You will also want to bring many copies of your resume to submit to employers.
2. First impressions are everything. Approach company representatives and engage them in conversation. Extend your hand, say “hello” and welcome them to your school. Have your resume ready to give to the employer, and be prepared to talk about your career interests and your academic and extracurricular experiences.
3. Dress appropriately. We recommend students wear professional attire to career fairs.
4. Respect employers’ materials and sample items. Some employers bring large quantities of print materials or “giveaways” clearly intended for students to take. Other employers bring a few copies of print materials, sample products, etc. to use as displays at their tables. Always check with employers before taking materials from their tables.
5. Be courteous. In addition to representing yourself, you also represent your department and your university. Employers are watching the way you behave at career fairs, which can help (or hurt) not only your personal potential employment opportunities, but also those of other members of your university community.
Good luck with your career fair experiences this fall, and we hope to meet you on campus.