Career Fair Do's and Don'ts
In an interview with Program Coordinator for the Chambers College Center for Career Development, Abigail Buehler shares her valuable insights and knowledge pertaining to the do’s and don’ts when attending a career fair.
Whether you are experienced or a newbie, there is always room to grow and new tools to learn when it comes to career fairs. In an interview with Program Coordinator for the Chambers College Center for Career Development, Abigail Buehler shares her valuable insights and knowledge pertaining to the do’s and don’ts when attending a career fair. The Chambers Career Fair is 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on September 30, in the Mountainlair Ballrooms. This event is open to all majors for freshmen to graduate students.
Before the Big Day
Your success at a career fair begins before you walk through the doors.
First, preparation is essential. With last year being online, some students have yet to experience an in person career fair, which brings a slew of new components to consider. We encourage you to embrace this opportunity to network with employers and practice your professional skills.
Keep in mind that employers chose to come to the fair and are looking for candidates to fill their company positions. Prepare your elevator pitch and customize your resume to accurately reflect your capabilities while also connecting with the job/internship opening and employer.
Abigail also emphasizes being able to talk about what makes you unique, makes you stand out, and makes you a good fit for the job. The CCD is a great resource in the Chambers College helping students feel confident in their skills and in their ability to speak about themselves to employers.
Preparation Opportunities:
Resume review with the CCD
Mock interview with the CCD
Subject Matter Expert (SME) Workshop; Learn how to talk with employers about your transferable skills. Schedule an appointment
Demonstrating to Employers You're an Asset to Their Organization. Mon, Sep 27 2:00 pm EDT - 3:00 pm EDT; Mountainlair, Shenandoah Room. Register on Handshake
At the Event
During the career fair, it is your time to shine. Abigail breaks down the elevator pitch as follows: you want to introduce yourself, talk about your experience here on campus, talk about skills that you have in your work experience. Then you want to talk about why you are excited for the role. Give yourself an outline for that initial elevator pitch in the first 30 to 60 seconds of conversing with an employer.
Another tip is to think about questions you have for employers. After you introduce yourself, “you can make it conversational by asking a question. And asking something that shows that you did research is also really helpful. Maybe, ‘I saw in the internship, there's an opportunity to have a mentor that works for the company. I'm really excited about that. Can you tell me more about what that looks like?’” Completing the preparation before the career fair helps you confidently converse with the employer to make a good first impression.
Timing is also an important factor to consider. If there is a long line to speak with an employer, visit another company and circle back later. Having a game plan prior to arriving helps you quickly navigate the career fair as well as adjust to find shorter waiting times. There is a point when the table with the line is the last employer you want to speak with, so Abigail suggests waiting near the table, but not right next to the student already speaking with the employer to give some space. This shows respect as you're waiting as they do not feel quite as rushed in their elevator pitch or rushed as they are talking with the employer.
Reaching for a handshake may look a little different this year. Abigail recommends the following: “It’s best for students to approach employers and assess their body language. If the employer is behind their table and has their arms down, then students can infer the employer likely isn’t going to shake hands...If the employer is in front of their table and their body language signals enthusiasm, students might mentally be prepared for the employer to maybe initiate a handshake. If a student feels uncomfortable with shaking hands, they can respectfully let the employer know that.”
You’re Almost There
After your career fair experience, take notes about your conversations with each employer. This is also a good tip to practice during the career fair between visits with different employers. Since you will need to send a follow-up message, taking notes helps you personalize the message. To know how to directly message the employer, Abigail advises asking the employer at the end of your conversation how to keep in touch. Next steps after the career fair can vary, so make sure to do what the employer asked of you if it was to apply for a job or connect on LinkedIn.
Make sure to dress business professional and bring five to ten copies of your updated resume. We wish you all the best during your career fair experience! See the Additional Q&A section below for more great information you can use to prepare for the Chambers Career Fair on Thursday, September 30.
Additional Q&A
Q: How to find employers in your field of interest when you're at the career fair?
A: Come talk to the Chambers CCD staff! Chambers faculty and staff will be in attendance at the career fair to help answer questions and calm nerves. Abigail shares, “We can even facilitate an introduction for you, walk you up to the table and say, ‘Hey, I just wanted to introduce you to [student name] and let you know that they are a student that's interested in [company].’ We can even help with some of that nervousness too, of approaching an employer.” She suggests asking a staff member, if you're trying to find more companies that would be good for your major other than the employers you’ve already done research on and talked with at the fair.
Q: What should underclassmen look to do or search for at the career fair?
A: Keep an eye out for CCD and Handshake emails about employers at the career fair recruiting for specific majors. Use those to start your research process beforehand, and look at the types of open roles listed. Even if you are a freshman, Abigail comments, “Employers remember freshmen that talk to them, are really prepared, and are proactive. I think it is really fun, because I've heard it from employers, they remember people.” This begins building your network for when you return to the career fair as a sophomore or upperclassman. Some employers do hire freshmen, too, so making a good first impression can make all the difference.
Q: On the other side of that for seniors, one challenge is obtaining a job after graduation. How can upperclassmen utilize the career fair to help with overcoming that challenge?
A: Be passionate. Be prepared. Abigail thinks it is really helpful when you share your interest in working for the company “because they cannot teach people to be excited about the job, but they can teach you, they can train you.” Furthermore, express why you are excited about these opportunities. This is one way to help you stand out at the career fair. Pair this with preparation and an appropriate follow-up.
If you have any questions, please email us or schedule an appointment with the Career Center for Development located in room 345 in the Business and Economics building.