It can be intimidating to walk into a brand new experience, and attending a career fair is no different. However, you keep hearing how beneficial these fairs are, so you want to learn more about them. Like always, everyone here at Albertus Magnus College is here to help, so we’ve compiled the most common questions (and answers) college students ask about career fairs.
Q: What is a Career Fair?
A: A career fair is an event that brings companies from all different fields together to showcase what they do and offer information to prospective employees. They are a great place for you to actually see who is hiring and for what positions, as well as to network with company representatives.
Q: How do I find out who will be there?
A: You’ll find a directory of attendees on the Albertus Career Services portal.
Q: If I’m not interested in any of the attending companies, should I still attend?
A: Absolutely. First, you never know what opportunities are out there until you look. You may find that after talking to a representative of a company, you’re interested in working there. Also, career fairs are the perfect chance to network and practice skills you’ll need for interviewing. Last but not least, the representatives are there to help you and can offer seasoned advice on searching for and landing a job.
Q: Can’t I submit my resume online and skip the fair?
A: Sure. In fact, you’ll most likely have to complete the online application whether you attend or not. However, if don’t attend, you’ll miss out on all the opportunities mentioned above. In addition, you’ll miss a chance to “put a face to your application.” Employers will be inundated with resumes once a job is posted, and having a personal connection can really make a difference. So use this networking opportunity to stand out among your peers, who likely have very similar experience on their resumes.
Q: I‘m not graduating yet. Why should I attend?
A: There are many reasons to attend a career fair even if you are not yet looking for a full-time position. These fairs are a great way to research companies and start networking. Also, many of the attending companies will offer internships that may be perfect for you now and a foot-in-the-door for later.
Q: What do employers expect from me?
A: Employers love people who are put together, prepared and passionate about what they do. Find out the employers who are attending, make a list of who you want to see, research their company, and come up with questions you can ask. Employers will see this as an impressive indication of preparation and initiative.
While you’re at the booth:
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Be mindful that this is just a preliminary, informational meeting and the representative has many people waiting to talk to her/him.
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Try not to get distracted. You only get a short time with the rep, so make it count.
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Listen to what the representative is presenting, and don’t just talk about yourself.
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Be sure to thank him or her for his time, and leave your resume if you’re interested and/or they request it.
If you really want to leave a positive impression (which, of course you do), be sure to send a follow-up thank you (either through email or snail mail) to the representative. For more advice on how to navigate a career fair, here are some tried-and-true ideas from an earlier blog.
There should be little question or anxiety in your mind now about whether or not you should attend a career fair: Get your resume ready to go. If you need some extra help, visit Career Services for all your job searching needs.
For upcoming fairs at Albertus, refer to our Career Fair page. Be sure to connect with Career Services on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date on events too.