Five Tips for Job Fair Success

Let’s start with the big question: What is a job fair?

Imagine an event where you can meet multiple employers to find jobs and internships — all in one convenient place. Job fairs can be held indoors, outdoors, or even online. Each employer hosts a table with information about their company and available opportunities You can visit any table that catches your interest, speak with the employer, learn about their openings, and give them a copy of your resume. Sometimes employers will interview and hire you on the spot. Other times, they simply want to connect with you so that you can apply for their positions once you have the right skills or knowledge.

Job fairs might sound simple — and they are — but preparing for them takes a little effort. The better prepared you are, the more effective you’ll be when navigating the job fair and interacting with employers. Here are our top 5 tips for job fair success!

1. Check Out the List of Attending Employers

Would you buy tickets to a random concert without knowing who was performing? Probably not. The same goes for job fairs. While job fairs are free, they do cost you time, so ensuring a job fair is worth your investment is an essential first step.

Visit the job fair’s website. Find the list of employers, job openings, and industries registered to attend. Write down any employers you’re interested in speaking with, then research each one for about ten minutes. Visit their website, look up reviews, and search for their “latest news” online. Job fairs run for a few hours, and you’ll want to maximize your time. Doing some preliminary research will help you get the most out of the experience.

2. Prepare and Bring Multiple Copies of Your Resume

You won’t want to go to a job fair without several copies of your resume. Your resume represents you after you step away from the employer’s table. It’s important to consider what makes you stand out. You only have 2-6 seconds to catch the employer’s attention, so a one-page format targeted at a specific job or industry is your best bet.

You’ll want to focus on specific accomplishments rather than generic descriptions of tasks. Instead of saying you have excellent customer service, talk about the service award you won last year or the weekly positive reviews you receive from customers.

Need help preparing your resume?

Schedule a Resume Writing/Review appointment with your local Career Center
Watch our How to Write a Winning Resume Workshop
Read our Top 10 Resume Mistakes to Avoid

3. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch

Does the thought of introducing yourself to a stranger feel intimidating? You’re not alone. Everyone feels a little nervous at job fairs; even the employers! One way to bridge the gap is to create an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a 15-30 second introduction. It answers many questions the employer has about you, such as:

Who are you?
Why are you interested in this position? (or working with us?)
Why are you qualified?
What can you do for us?

For example, you might say:

“Hello, my name is Deliesha Smith. I’m interested in working in marine biology and right now I’m completing my BAS degree in Biomedical Science.”

“It’s nice to meet you. How are you doing today? [pause for their response] My name is Dylan Avery. I have 2 years of experience in cybersecurity and I’m interested in data analysis roles. Do you have anything available at your company?”

You can use Upkey, an interactive pitch builder, to create your memorable pitch!

4. Brush Up on Your Interview Skills

It’s a good idea to brush up on your interview skills before the job fair. Sometimes, employers want to interview you on the spot — either by taking you aside and doing so formally, or just asking you a few questions right at the booth.

We recommend a three-step plan for success:

Research the company to understand its values, work culture, and responsibilities. Expect to be asked, “Why do you want to work here?”
Use the free Perfect Interview simulator to practice answering common interview questions. This will help you feel more confident and comfortable with the process. If the employer asks a question like, “Tell me about your education?” you’ll feel more prepared to discuss it because you’ve practiced that question ahead of time.

5. Get Your Outfit Together

Dressing for success is a huge part of the job-seeking process. About 50% of employers decide on whether or not to hire you within the first 5-15 minutes of meeting you, so how you look is just as important as what you say.

Here are a few “don’ts” to keep in mind when attending a job fair. Don’t wear:

Non-conservative clothing. No plunging tops, bare midriffs, or shorts/short skirts.
Flip flops, tennis shoes, or open-toed shoes
Jeans
Tight pants/skinny jeans; also, clothing that is too big
Untucked shirts/blouses
Polo shirts
Coats/jackets that are not professional
Logos/printed T-shirts
Loose ties
Too much jewelry (watch is fine for men, necklace, simple earrings are fine for women)
Torn up clothing and shoes
Strong perfume or cologne

If you don’t have any interview clothing, contact the Titan2Titan Clothing Closet on your Eastern Florida State College campus for free professional clothing.

Bonus: Make Sure They Remember You — Send a Thank You Email

At the job fair, you’ll have the opportunity to collect many business cards from potential employers. Once the job fair is done, send a thank you email to each of them. The employers will have met with many students and alumni in one day, so you might get lost in the crowd. Sending a thank you email after the job fair isn’t just polite; it shows gratitude, good follow-up skills, and interest in the position. It’s also your opportunity to remind the employer what you talked about, list your key skills, and say anything important you may have forgotten to mention at the job fair!

Contact Your Career Center

If you have questions about an upcoming job fair, need help updating your resume, or want to freshen up your interview skills, schedule an in-person or remote appointment with your EFSC Career Center. You can also check for any upcoming EFSC hiring events. We look forward to helping you succeed!

Author
Recent Posts

Casey Covel

As Assistant Manager of Web and Social Media at EFSC, Casey keeps students informed of all the exciting "happenings" at the college. She earned national honors while completing her A.A. degree at EFSC, graduated with a B.A. in Human Communication through UCF, and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Media Psychology at Fielding University. An award-winning writer on matters of faith and pop culture, Casey’s hobbies include sipping tea, wielding chopsticks, gaming in the realms of Tellius and Hyrule, growing her action figure collection and squinting at strange words.