Preparing For Your Next Career Fair

Career fairs offer more than just an opportunity to pass out your resumes. It's also a chance to practice your elevator pitch, grow your network, and learn about roles you might not have considered before.

These 10 tips will help you get the most out of your next career fair.

Prepare your elevator pitch.

You may only have 5 minutes with an employer, so you need to be ready when they ask you to tell them about yourself. As you prepare your elevator pitch, remember it needs to clearly describe who you are, what you bring to the table, and why you would be a great hire.

Break your elevator pitch into 3 parts:

• Provide the headline

  • Think of 3-4 words to describe yourself (e.g. experienced project manager, top performing sales executive).

• Summarize your past experience

  • Identify 2-3 highlights you want the employer to remember about you. It could be an award you received for service excellence, a process improvement you implemented that saved the company money, or a project you turned around. Since past behavior is a good indicator of future behavior, you'll want to show how you've added value at your current and prior employers.

• Explain what you bring to the table.

  • Identify 1-2 skills which would make you a valuable hire. Is it your ability to bring team's together? Do you have top notch analytical skills? Help the employer understand what sets you apart from the other candidates.

Get a good night sleep.

You'll spend most of your time walking around, standing in line, meeting and greeting company representatives, and in some cases interviewing. With only a few minutes to make a great first impression, you do not want to appear tired and lethargic. A good night sleep will give you the energy you need to remain upbeat throughout the event.

Dress appropriately.

Every time you interact with someone, they are assessing how you communicate, your body language, and the way you're dressed. If you're unsure what to wear, err on the side of professional attire. This includes suits, jackets with coordinating skirts or slacks, and dresses. If you choose to wear business casual attire, avoid jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, sleeveless tops, mini-skirts, shorts, spandex or leggings.

Bring multiple copies of your resume.

Bring copies of your standard resume, and ones which may be industry or role specific. As you walk through the career fair, give a copy of your resume to companies who have opportunities you're interested in. This gives employers a chance to put a face with a name, make a note on your resume, and follow-up with you later.

Put your cell phone on vibrate.

Cell phone ringtones and notifications can be distracting, and you don't want to be distracted when you're speaking to a potential employer. Using vibrate mode will make you aware you missed a call, and allow you to check your phone while you walk between booths.

Arrive with questions in mind.

Think of 3 to 5 questions you could ask any of the employers, This will help to keep the conversation focused, especially if you're nervous. Consider questions about available opportunities, training/mentoring, benefits, what makes it a great company to work for, etc. Remember to take your notebook so you can jot down responses after you speak to each company.

Visit companies strategically.

Depending on the size of the career fair, it may not be possible to visit every company. Review the list of participating companies, and place a check mark next to the ones you want to visit. If a map is provided, mark the company’s location on the map. 

Visit the companies you marked first. If a company's line is long, visit the next closest company on your list. This approach will ensure you have a chance to speak with your preferred companies before you leave the event.

Do not overlook companies with limited foot traffic. If everyone is lining up to speak with an employer, consider visiting a booth where there is no line or only a few people stopping by. That company is more likely to remember you, and they may have opportunities which allow you to apply your current skillset in a new way.

Ask about other opportunities.

If you're interested in an opportunity not advertised at the career fair, ask the company representative whom you could speak with to learn more. He or she will either take your information, or give you their card so you can follow up. If you're not offered a business card, ask for one and follow up in a few days.

Even if you don't end up with a new job, you'll gain contacts you can connect with and it may lead to a future opportunity.

Resist the urge to collect information from every booth.

Skip the glossy company marketing material. You can find similar information on the company’s website. Instead, look for information which contains high level job descriptions, details about benefits or an explanation of available career paths.

Be positive.

This can not be stressed enough! No one wants to work with someone who has a bad attitude or a negative disposition. Focus on the positive things you have to offer and how you can be an asset to the company. Do not use your limited time to badmouth your current or former employer.