Career and Job Fairs

Tips for Students

Make the most of your career and job fair experience. Start by preparing to meet with potential employers. This could be the start of your career.

Maybe you're wondering what you should do before the career fair and what you should ask potential employers. See some sample questions and ideas below. 

What employers recommend:

• Don't wait until the semester before you graduate to start looking for a job, the sooner the better!
• Start talking to companies about opportunities as early as first year; a summer or part-time job is valuable in building your resume and experience.
• Knowing something about the company before you approach them leaves a good first impression.

What should I do to prepare for the Career Fair?

If you do the work, then you can have a great experience:

• Develop a resume.
• Decide which employers you want to talk to and review the company profiles on this site.
• Prepare a list of questions you want to ask.
• Prepare and practice a brief introduction: your name, area of study and interests.
• Dress professionally.
• Exude confidence and enthusiasm and stay positive - be yourself!
• Send follow-up letters after the event.

Sample questions to ask an employer:

• What kinds of positions are you recruiting for and from which academic background?
• What kind of work experience, either part-time or full-time, will be helpful to me?
• What skills and personal characteristics are important to fit in and succeed at your company?
• What are the education/training requirements?
• What is the culture of your workplace?
• What are typical entry-level positions in this field?
• How important is relevant work experience when being considered for employment?
• What is the employment outlook in this field for the next 5 - 10 years?
• Do you know of anyone else I should be contacting to learn more about this type of work?
• What advice do you have for a university or college graduate entering this field?
• May I submit a resume for consideration?