Prepare for job fairs

• Why attend a job fair?

• How to prepare for a fair

• Presenting yourself effectively at the 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. 

Whether you are a student or a graduate, a job fair offers many benefits. It is an opportunity to gain first-hand information about careers, industry trends and organizations. You can meet many company representatives in one day and at one location; this can help you use your time, energy and money effectively since you will be networking with multiple contacts in one place.  Employers will promote their companies and recruit from hundreds of potential employees. Some employers might want to conduct a formal or impromptu interview. It’s best to get prepared for a conversation about what skills, strengths and experience you have!  

The University of Waterloo co-sponsors two job fairs each year called Partnerships for Employment (P4E). Job fairs are held in February and September. Organizations may or may not be actively hiring, they may want to increase awareness about their organizations or may be looking to hire in the near future. Find more information about the P4E job fairs, co-sponsored by the University of Waterloo, University of Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College . Only students and alumni with valid ID cards from the four co-sponsoring institutions can attend.

To get the most from a fair, you will need to be well prepared. Although you want to focus primarily on organizations in your field, this is not the time to limit yourself. Remember that non-technical companies hire technical people and vice versa. However, given the amount of preparation necessary, be realistic about the number of companies you plan to target.

Consider the following steps: 

1. Do a self-assessment to determine your goals and the skills you want to market 

2. Find out which companies and organizations will be represented and research them to figure out if they interest you 

3. Think about how your skills, knowledge and experience can fit with the organization’s needs 

4. Prepare hard copies of your résumé, or résumés if you have several versions, tailored to a variety of career choices 

5.  Establish a way to provide your networking information easily  

   1. Have LinkedIn open on your phone so that you can easily connect with recruiters after meeting them

   2. Create networking cards with your contact information and degree information  

6. Take a notepad to jot down recruiters' contact information. Consider taking supporting documents such as reference letters, your professional portfolio (including examples of your work and accomplishments), copies of your transcript and completed job applications. Think through whether this is an appropriate strategy for your industry; you might have to do some research to find out. 

7. Compose intelligent, well-informed questions that you want to ask employers 

8. Consider practicing handshakes and a 30-45-second self-introduction. Note: More information on handshakes and alternatives can be found in the Exploring Workplace Culture section.  

9. Plan what you will wear; dress as you would for a job interview

Things to consider about job fairs

• Pick up a floor map and plan which companies you want to visit. You may wish to speak to representatives from companies you are interested in after you have practiced and warmed up with some other companies first 

• You should take copies of your résumé to leave with employers at their request, but ideally, you want to send (the next day) a letter or résumé that reflects the information you gained from your discussion with the employer. If you do leave a résumé on the day of the fair, follow up the next day with a letter, email or LinkedIn message 

• It is best not to arrive during the last half hour of the event because employers may be tired after a long day or need to leave early 

• Avoid taking an employer’s promotional materials without first talking to the company representative and then being invited to do so 

• Consider visiting booths by yourself. You may appear to be more confident and be better able to focus and market yourself if you are on your own 

• It’s best not to ask for a job directly. Introduce yourself and ask questions of the company representative 

• Be mindful of the time you take with each employer. Do not spend more than ten minutes with an employer unless the representative invites you to continue the conversation. Other students will want to speak with the employer, so be careful not to monopolize an employer’s time 

• Collect the names of appropriate people to follow up with after the fair 

• Be organized: take a folder to collect handouts, a calendar in case an employer wants to schedule an interview and a pen and paper or electronic organizer to record notes and required follow-up 

Suggestions for positive interactions   

• Listen attentively: a fair is very large, noisy and crowded, so you want to let an employer know 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 represent a company, ask them questions about their experiences with the organization, factors that contributed to their hiring 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 offer the company. After the employer has provided 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 company because…”

• Give your résumé and ask about next steps in the hiring process. Ask the employer how to contact them best and keep track of conversations by making notes after you have left the booth.  

Explore workplace culture tips on interacting with employers, such as eye contact and handshakes.

1. Explore more about: Networking