Succeeding at a Career Fair

CUSSW Office of Career & Leadership Development

Before the Fair

Visit the Office of Career & Leadership Development website to see which organizations are attending. Decide which ones you will approach.

Make sure that your resume is up-to-date and that you have enough copies to give one to each potential employer.

Prepare a “sound bite” – a short 1-2 minute summary of your background, your skills and your interests that you can use to introduce yourself to employers.

Do some basic online research for each organization and prepare 2-3 informational, open-ended questions to ask each of them. Since you may not have a lot of time to talk, save lengthy questions for an interview or a follow up e-mail.

Day of the Fair

Dress professionally. A muted, neutral color suit (e.g. black, gray, navy or beige) is preferable, but a nice dress shirt, a tie and pants are also fine for men, and a blouse and knee-length skirt or pants are acceptable for women. Women should try to keep makeup and accessories subdued as well. Avoid jeans, sweats and sneakers even if you are coming straight from class.

Carry a portfolio or a nice folder with your resumes, a pad and a pen. Try to minimize the amount of extra “stuff” (bags, coat, etc.) you have with you, whenever possible.

During the Fair

Learn the layout of the fair and determine the locations of organizations of interest.

If there are long lines at the table you are interested in visiting, remain cool, calm and collected while waiting for your turn. Go to another table first, if necessary.

Visit each of your targeted tables and speak with at least one of the organization’s representatives. Be sure to smile, shake hands, introduce yourself and offer them your resume. Ask each representative that you talk to for a business card and collect (and tuck away) the company literature before you go to the next organization.

If possible, jot down some quick notes about your conversations before your next stop. This will help you remember which organizations you were especially interested in later on. It will also help you personalize the thank you notes you write afterwards.

After the Fair

Send thank you letters/e-mails to the organizations you would like to target.
Personalize all correspondence!