Post-Grad Life: The Benefits of Attending Career Fairs

As you’re preparing for your final few months on campus, it’s time to start thinking about making your next big move. You can scour the job boards, ask friends for references and go door-to-door with your resume. Or you can post up at a career fair right on campus! Colleges typically host job fairs to provide students with the opportunity to meet with various prospective employers in one place. In the time it takes you to fill out a single application online, you may be able to meet with a handful of worthy prospects willing to help launch you into your career. Showing up with enthusiasm may be the first step to a promising profession.

Preparing for Your First Career Fair

Got a few upcoming fairs that you want to attend? Here are some things to consider:

• Be ready to sell yourself—In the days leading up to the fair, make sure that you’re practicing your “elevator pitch”—what you’ll present to employers in the first minute or so you meet—out loud alone and with friends. Be prepared to explain your background, skills, accomplishments and goals in only a few sentences.
• Dress to impress—What we wear has a bigger impact on our success than you might imagine. Research shows that how you dress affects perception of your success, trustworthiness, authority, intelligence, financial success and suitability for promotion. Not only that, but it can also affect your behavior and make you feel more confident. Needless to say, it pays to put a little work into your outfit when you head to a job fair.
• Have resumes on hand—Take the time to perfect and update your resume, showcasing your latest jobs as well as any pertinent awards or accomplishments. Before you head out the door, print out a few copies on some high-quality resume paper. Your potential employees will notice the time you spent on the little details.

Why It Makes Sense to Attend Career Fairs

Evidently, it takes a little bit of effort to prepare for your job fair debut, so you might be asking yourself if it’s worth your while. By and large, career fair attendees come away with an overall positive experience, even if they don’t land an armful of offers.

1. You’ll broaden your horizons—Think of a career fair as an upbeat, self-guided tour of all your region’s biggest and best employers. While you may have had one company, job title or industry in mind when you went in, the event may open your mind up to the many unique opportunities that surround you. Try to go into any job-related event with an open mind without a pre-commitment to any one job.
2. You’ll get plenty of face time—Did you know that the experts estimate that about 80 percent of all job offers come through networking? That means that a good majority of the jobs on the market aren’t published at all, and to get access to them, you have to meet people in the biz. Creating personal, face-to-face connections with potential employers ups your chances of getting a job and helps you hone your communication skills.
3. You’ll amass cool, free stuff—Have we mentioned that most employers show up at career fairs ready to give out amazing promotional items? We’re talking about much more than just free pens and stickers. These days, companies shower prospects with cool swag like speakers, headphones, phone chargers, backpacks, fidget spinners and PopSockets featuring their logo. You might also come home with some free snacks and beverages if you stop at enough booths!
4. You’ll meet others in your field—We all know that networking is invaluable to solidifying a good career, so anything you can do to meet with others who work in your desired field makes good use of your time. While you’re meandering through the different booths, if you happen to see others who seem to be interested in the same companies as you, try to strike up a conversation. You might just make some friends while you’re there! Of course, take advantage of this time to talk to employers who have been working in your industry for a while to get some one-on-one advice.
5. You’ll get VIP access—When you attend job fairs, you’re often put in touch with industry experts, recruiters and educators who can be of great value to you as you advance through your career. These are the people who can open up doors to opportunities and events that will help you better market yourself, including networking events, seminars, workshops and industry-specific events that will get you into your field’s inner circle.
6. It’s excellent practice—Spent hours at a career fair only to come away empty-handed (minus the awesome company swag)? All is not lost! Unbeknownst to you, you have spent several hours practicing some of the most important skills of adulthood—confident communication, an appropriate enthusiasm for self-promotion and a stronger understanding of exactly what you want out of life. Remember that even if you don’t receive a follow-up after the fair, employers will likely keep your information on hand for future opportunities.

Is it Worth the Effort to Attend Career Fairs?

Yes. As you can see, taking the time to polish up your resume, pick out a nice outfit and mingle with some potential employers can be well worth the extra effort! We’d recommend partnering with a close friend or a colleague in the same field or major as you so that you feel less lost going in. Along with plenty of smiling, active listening and enthusiasm, you’re likely to come away from your next career fair that much closer to a solid job offer!