Booths and booths of companies, lines ten students deep waiting to talk to an employer, a sea of students wearing suits… welcome to a career fair! Just walking into the room is overwhelming. Here is how you can prepare for a career fair to calm your nerves and make the most of your time.
I have been on both sides of the booth when it comes to career fairs. I’ve been an employer looking to hire students. In addition, I held three internships in college, two of which came from career fairs. Therefore, I know these events can be an effective means of obtaining a job, if you have the right approach.
If you do not prepare, the career fairs will be a large waste of time. Or worse, you could make a bad impression with an employer you were really interested in. Follow the steps below so that this does not happen to you!
- Research The Companies You Are Interested In
- Prepare An Elevator Pitch
- Update Your Resume
- Make A Plan
1. Research The Companies You Are Interested In
Many companies will attend so it is critical to find who they are beforehand. Your career center should have a list of employers who will be present. Then, you can make a list of companies you want to speak to and research them prior to the event.
Most often, the career center uses an online database to organize these employers. This database has filters you can apply that align with your situation, such as your major and desired position. It will make narrowing down the companies a little easier.
Once you have your list, go on each company’s website to find the information below:
- Look into their open position and see if it aligns with the job you are seeking (summer internship, co-op, full time job)
- Review the job descriptions to understand what skills are required
- Understand the company’s mission, industry, products, and services
As you do this research, take note of the following:
- How your skills and interest align with the job description and the company
- Questions you have for the company
Upfront Research Will Help You Stand Out
It is important to look into the companies before you speak to them so you do not ask, “So what do you do?”. That shows lack of interest.
The company expects you to already know the answer to this question because this proves you are really interested. Instead, use this knowledge and say how your experience can help them or relates to their mission.
When I worked at career fairs, I talked to a lot of students. Showing knowledge about the company will help you stand out. To quickly keep track of who I spoke to I would make notes on their resumes and then I would put their resume in one of two piles, an “interview” pile or a “do not interview” pile.
It was surprising to me the number of students that came up and said, “So what do you make?” or “What does your company do?”.
Their resume automatically went into the “do not interview” pile. It shows your lack of preparedness.
By putting in the upfront work, you can help ensure your resume will end up in the “interview” pile. Then, you will use this background information to help form your elevator pitch, which is the next step.
2. Prepare An Elevator Pitch
Think of the career fair as preparing for a mini interview. The company is talking to a lot of your peers. You need to set yourself apart and you only have a few minutes to do this. This is why you need an elevator pitch.
The pitch should be about 30 seconds long and it quickly introduces yourself to the employer. In addition, you should be able to recite it easily, so practice it beforehand. This will give you the confidence to approach the employer because you already know what you are going to say. It will also open the conversation easily and help the employer know who you are, what you have to offer, and why you are interested in them.
So what should your elevator pitch include?
The elements below should be included:
- Your name, year, major, position you are interested in (internship/co-op/full time job)
- Why you are interested in the company
- What you can offer the company
Think of skills and experiences that you have that relate to the company and their mission. These may include technical skills, such as CAD, FMEA, or coding. Further, soft skills are important so this is a great time to let those shine, such as communication, motivation, and leadership. You can find a full listing of technical and soft skills here.
For experiences, think of other internships you have held or project work you have completed in your courses that relate. All of this should be tailored to the company because you want to show how you are going to help them. Refer back to the job descriptions you researched and use these to see what the employer is looking for and how you meet their needs.
Putting It Together
After some self reflection, you can put your elevator pitch together. Below is an example. This student is speaking to a medical device company for a Research and Development (R&D) engineering internship.
Hi, my name is Emma Johnson. I am a junior, mechanical engineering major and I am interested in obtaining a summer internship. I really want to pursue a job in the medical device industry. I just completed a design project that required us to use the New Product Development process. We had to develop a cushion to prevent bed sores for people in the hospital that are bed ridden. I led a team of three students to brainstorm, develop, and prototype a cushion. I think my leadership skills and knowledge of the New Product Development process would be an asset to your company.
You can use this example to craft your elevator pitch. Then, once you have it, practice it so that it sounds conversational, not rehearsed. Sometimes you may not get through the whole pitch before the employer jumps in, that is okay! Just know the key talking points and bring them up later. In addition, you may need to tailor it to the specific company, depending on the industry.
3. Update Your Resume
You will need to tailor your resume to the jobs you are interested in. So what does that mean?
First, start by going back to the list of companies you want to speak to. Second, look into their job postings and review the job descriptions. Highlight the parts of the job description that align with your skill set. Finally, update your resume to include these skill sets, if they are not already there.
You may end up with a few slightly different versions of your resume because they should align with the position you are applying for. For instance, maybe one job or internship you are interested in is for manufacturing and another is for R&D, your objectives on your resumes would be different.
Make sure your objective clearly states if you are looking for an internship, co-op, or full time job. Employers could have multiple openings so this will help them quickly identify what you are looking for.
4. Make A Plan
Thomas Edison said it best, “Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.” Employers are attending career fairs with job opportunities and your task is to prepare so the end result is you getting an interview!
Succeeding at a career fair is all about planning. Now that you have done the research, have an elevator pitch, and updated your resume, it is time to make a plan for the big day.
Your career center should have a floor plan available. Review it and highlight the booths you plan to attend and in what order. If you are nervous, plan to go to a company you are less interested in first. This way you can practice and get your jitters out before going to your dream company.
Try to arrive right when the doors open. The lines will not be as long and employers will be more willing to spend time talking to you. These are long days for the employers at the booth. As the day drags on, they get tired as well and are less enthusiastic to talk to people.
Create a list of questions for each employer. Like any interview, you want them to sounds well thought out so having a list prepared will help.
Print off multiple copies of your resumes (more copies than you think you need). Most employers will be collecting them so this is a must if you want an interview.
You Got This!
As intimidating as career fairs can be, remember, employers are taking the time out of their busy schedule to meet with you. They want to find someone to fill their position. Companies want you to to do well so it makes their hiring process easier.
Usually the employers that attend career fairs are alumni of that college. They are looking for someone from their alma mater to fill that opening and that person should be you! Follow these steps to prepare for the career fair:
- Research The Companies You Are Interested In
- Prepare An Elevator Pitch
- Update Your Resume
- Make A Plan
The preparation will give you the confidence you need to succeed at the career fair!
If you want feedback or help with your elevator pitch, send me an email at meagan@engineeringexpectations.com.