Career Fair Prep for Success – 3 Steps and Tips with All You Need to Know

Nothing makes the extraordinary career adventure you’re on feel more real than attending an event hosting an array of potential employers and taking your networking skills out for a spin.

A career fair can be nerve racking but it, absolutely, doesn’t have to be. If know the steps necessary to prepare and then take them, you’ll be well on your way to impressing those powers that be and setting the wheels in motion for your brilliant professional future.

Let us show you how.

Career Fair Prep for Success – 3 Steps and Tips with All You Need to Know

Step #1 – PRE Career Fair Prep

The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll feel day-of. So, commit the time and energy to do the work before you go. Remember, those employers attending the fair are scouting for potential candidates. They know the career fair experience could be all new to you, but this is your chance to blow them away with your knowledge and enthusiasm. Here’s what to do.

• Notebook for the Experience – First thing, buy a notebook for the whole Career Fair experience. You’ll use it for prep, day-of and follow up. You want the information all in one place for easy reference all along the way.

• Research, Research, Research – Look up who will be attending the Career Fair, and do your research on the companies, the mission, policies, online reviews, and overall purpose of what they deliver and to whom. This way, when you speak with them, they will immediately recognize that you’re serious about them and about your potential future with them. List the organizations you research in order of priority, based on the kind of employment you’re looking for and the company you’d like to be a part of.

• Resume Polish – Make sure your resume is up to date and presented in a way that speaks to the employer/position you’re looking to step into. You may even take it one step further and write a cover letter specific to the company that you’re approaching. In this you can speak to what you admire about their organization and why you think you would be a terrific fit. Whatever you can do to stand out professionally, do that. And if you want to create a business card to leave behind, that’s a stellar idea too!

• Question Prep – Create a list of questions to further the discussion with your priority companies, that will help you in expanding your knowledge and understanding. In crafting your questions, demonstrate that you’ve done the initial research. Make a reference to the company (a policy/event/the mission) and then ask specific questions that allow you to learn more. Keep in mind that they’re not just scouting you, you’re scouting them! Questions are a big part of you making the right decisions for you. Figure out what you’d like to know and don’t be afraid to ask. You can create questions that cover the specifics of the role you’re interested in and what it takes to be successful; you can ask about team dynamics and what it’s like working for their company; and what advice they have for college graduates trying to break into the market, etc.

• Develop Your Pitch (Elevator Speech) – It’s called an elevator speech because the length of time you take to present yourself should be about as long as a 30-second elevator ride. You want to hit the basics in this blurb, present the highlights of who you are/what you bring (education/experience/passion), and what you’re looking for. Write it, practice it in front of the mirror and on a friend, many, many times before day-of. This you want to nail. And if you have done your research on the company, if you can throw in a few specifics on what you know of them and how you could specifically add to their team/company dynamics, all the better.

• Dress for Success – While you may not need to dress in a suit and tie/dress (or maybe you do), you definitely want to ensure you’re in business casual attire. First impressions matter, so be pressed and dressed for the job you want to land.

Step #2 – DAY-OF Career Fair Must Dos

• Take Note and Notes – Before you make connections take time to take it all in. Move around the room listening to conversations, getting impressions on how things work, visualizing yourself taking the next step and approaching those companies you’re interested in. Review your list of priority companies to approach that you wrote down in your trusty notebook and work your way up that list. Begin with the last company on the list. Why? Because you want to practice before you hit that company at the top that you really, really want to impress. After each encounter take a moment to write down names, impressions and anything you need to follow up on. This is key to follow up.

• Present Yourself with Poise and Purpose – Confidence and enthusiasm win, hands down, every time. Stand up straight, look like a person with purpose, shake hands, look everyone in the eye. Communication begins with how you carry yourself; fake that confidence till you make it if you need to. Be positive, share your pitch and ask those questions. Before you know it, you’ll be a pro.

• Stay Connected – Present your resume, the business care you created, but most of all collect their business card(s). You don’t want to rely on others to follow up; you want to control that. Asking them if you can reach out with any further questions you may have, also leaves a door open for further communication. Anything you can do to build relationship it terrific; your goal is to make an impression, so they remember you when you reach out after the event.

Step #3 – POST Career Fair Follow Up

• Reconnection – This is when all those notes you took pay off. With business cards and the little reminders you wrote yourself, to jog your memory on the conversations you shared with each contact, you will be able to personalize your messages. Send thank-you notes. Within those notes, mention the conversation you shared, any anecdotes that would spark a memory of meeting you. Your message should contain a sentiment of appreciation for their time, expertise and insight, mention the specifics of a conversation you shared and reiterate your interest (be as detailed as possible) and qualifications/assets that you feel would make you an ideal fit.

• Application – When applying to particular jobs for any of the companies that you connected with, make sure to mention the name(s) of the employees you spoke to, and any pertinent specifics (what you learned, an answer given to a question you had that was insightful for you). Personalization is the key and building relationships offers you the competitive edge when there’s competition, indeed.

Whether you are a student currently taking college courses in Toronto or exploring private colleges in Ontario, embarking of your first or second career, Career Fairs are a powerful way to practice your savvy and communicate your skills and abilities to potential employers.

Preparation paves the way for you to put your best foot forward at these events, giving yourself an ideal shot at turning a conversation into a dream job.

If you’re still surveying your options, and trying to determine how to align your interests with a program choice, take our Career Discovery Quiz or take a look at the 30+ leading-edge program options we have to offer at Anderson College. But if you’re looking for support to navigate your way, we’re here to help. Book a virtual appointment with one of our Admissions Advisors today and let’s work together to get you started!

Quick Links to Fuel Your Success!

We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed! Check out these reference links:

• Anderson College – 30+ Leading-Edge Programs
• Top Jobs in 2024 – How to Ready and Launch Your In-Demand Career Now!
• 7 Tips to Choosing the Right College Program for Your Skyrocketing Future
• 5 Key Job-Search Pitfalls and How to Hurdle Over Them … to Success