Career Development Services
Job Fair
What is a Job Fair?
Companies send recruiters, human resources staff, supervisors
or current employees to the fair for the purposes of :
- Marketing their company
- Establishing a pool of applicants
- Prescreening applicants for interviews
- Interviewing
Your goal is to make positive contacts with potential employers.
Success Begins Before the Event
- Research the companies participating in the fair. A list of attending employers is available at the Workforce Development Center website.Click on the names of the companies and find out what they do and what types of positions they currently have open.
- Prepare a priority list of the employers you want to visit at the fair. A map of their booth location will be provided the day of the fair and may be available online earlier.
- Prepare a one minute “commercial” to introduce yourself to the company representatives. Demonstrate that you know something about the company, express why you’re interested in working for them and how your skills relate to what you know about the company’s needs. For example: “Hello, my name is____ and I’m graduating in May with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. I’m very interested in events planning and coordination. I was on your website and saw that you sometimes offer positions in that area. Can you tell me more about those positions?” Practice your commercial out loud!
- Prepare your resume at the Career Center. You want your resume to be in tip-top shape because it will be part of the employer’s first impression of you. See calendar for resume workshop times.
- Have your resume critiqued during career development hours prior to the job fair. NOTE: Most companies will ask you to complete an online application instead of asking for your resume. However, it is still important for you to bring hard copies with you.
- Prepare questions to ask employers. For example: “What kind of skills and experience do you look for in the employees you hire?” “What kind of entry-level positions exist within your organization?” Don’t ask questions for which the answers are on the company website.
- Be prepared to actually interview at the fair.
The Day of the Fair
- Dress as you would for an interview.
- Make eye contact as you introduce yourself to the representative. Shake hands firmly and listen closely to what they say.
- Smile! Be enthusiastic and project interest in the company.
- Ask questions about the company. (See samples above.)
- Find out the best way to follow up and who the contact person is.
- Ask for the representatives’ business cards.
- Make notes after you leave a company in which you are interested. The notes will be a handy reference should they contact you afterward.
- Thank them for their time after talking with them.
Follow-up After the Event
- Send a letter and another copy of your resume to the employer representatives of companies of particular interest to you. In the cover letter, briefly thank them for speaking with you at the job fair, highlight your qualifications for the position, and restate your interest in interviewing with the company. Include another copy of your resume.
- Make follow-up phone calls if appropriate.
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