Prepare for the Fair
Define your goals for the fair:
- Connect with organizations to learn more about them and their opportunities
- Identify potential internship or full-time opportunities; submit resume or learn the best method for applying
- Develop your network – gain recruiter contact information or collect referrals to other departments/divisions within an organization. These relationships can be key in the future.
- Meet with new, less familiar organizations and discovering unexpected opportunities
Before the Fair – Planning is key!
- Find out what organizations are attending in Handshake and conduct appropriate research on them.
- Learn about the types of opportunities they are hiring for. Log onto Handshake and see if they have postings listed. Go onto the organization's website and check out their careers section.
- Create a list of employers of most interest to you, so you can prioritize who to connect with first.
- Research the organization's culture through Glassdoor.com, LinkedIn, and just by simply googling the name of the organization.
- Prepare your resume.
- Practice how you will introduce yourself to employers, including your name, potentially your major, what opportunity the employer has available that is most of interest to you (show you did your research!), and any background or experiences that would be of interest to the organization.
- Prepare a list of targeted questions to ask each employer based on the research you conducted.
- For virtual fairs, prepare your virtual presence. Given events are virtual, ensure you have tested your technology and considered an appropriate virtual background.
During the Fair
- I saw that you have XYZ internship posting in Handshake - can you tell me a little bit more about that internship?
- What type of projects do interns work on? What kind of training would I receive?
- Beyond the skill sets of (example 1), (example 2), (example 3) shared in the job description, what other skills are you looking for in candidates? (Then share how you have those skills!)
- Can you give me insight into your hiring timeline?
Consider the field you are interested in pursuing. Do some research on what is typical within that field and take your dress a step further. If a suit is typical attire in the field, wear a suit. If a t-shirt and jeans is typical in the field, wear a polo shirt or nice blouse.
Check out our Pinterest page for examples of what to wear!
- Try to engage in the fair when it begins.
- Target the organizations of interest you. But, also keep an open mind and consider organizations you are not familiar with – there are great opportunities everywhere. You will be able to see how long of a wait each employer has (even virtually). Explore a potential employer that has a shorter wait time.
- Once you are with the employer, introduce yourself with a smile. Allow the employer to introduce themselves and then tell them more about yourself.
- Ask questions from the list you prepared.
- Write notes about your interaction with the employer to help craft your thank you note after the fair and to remind yourself of next steps after the fair.
After the Fair
- Apply to any positions you may have learned about at the fair. Many will be posted in Handshake, but also ask the employer how to best apply for their opportunities.
- Write a thank you e-mail to the representatives you met. Include another resume and, if requested, any additional information.
- Continue to research the companies or organizations that you met at the fair.
Supplement your fair attendance by attending other employer events such as information sessions, networking events or panels. See the Calendar for an upcoming events listing.