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Why attend a job fair? |
A job fair is a great opportunity to identify immediate/future job openings and to network. A fair may be geared toward one industry, or a variety of industries. You can get details about job fairs through Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE), your faculty or student associations, professional/industry associations, trade magazines and your network. You can also try searching for fairs at community spaces on campus in-person or check out online community resources, such as Eventbrite.
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How to prepare for a fair |
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Presenting yourself effectively at the fair |
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Listen attentively: a fair is very large, noisy, and crowded, so you want to let an employer know that they have your full attention.
Avoid generic questions such as, “So, tell me about your company” and discussing salary; instead, focus on specific, targeted questions based on your knowledge of them. Posing specific questions demonstrates your interest in the employer and your initiative in getting to know them.
Tailor your questions to the person you are speaking with. If you encounter a human resources representative, you could ask questions about corporate information, orientation, and working conditions. Topics appropriate for managers include how their work solves the organization's challenges. Then ask how work is assigned and evaluated, the day-to-day working conditions, and what specific training is needed. If alumni from your home institution are representing a company, ask them questions about their experiences with the organization, factors that contributed to their hire, and typical career paths within the organization.
Prepare and practice a 30-45 second self-introduction, highlighting your knowledge, training, skills, and experience and what you can bring to the company. Close your presentation with a focused question that will engage the employer in conversation.
Relate what you learn from the employer to what you have to offer the company. After the employer has provided you with some information, you could respond with a more tailored statement such as, “Thanks for sharing that information. I believe I would be a good fit for your program because…”
Give your résumé and ask about next steps in the hiring process. Ask the employer how to best contact them and keep track of conversations by making notes after you have left the booth.
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