We are so excited to be back hosting in-person career fairs. This fall’s events are the first on campus since February 2020. Because of this, most students have never attended an in-person career fair before. Even the employers are out of practice! Below are just a few tips.
- Explore which organizations will be attending by logging into Crimson Careers > Events > Type=”Career Fairs & Expos.” Search and filter on things like who is looking for Master’s students and who is hiring for internships and/or full-time roles, read brief descriptions, and explore employer websites.
- Be prepared to ask questions about the organization and the role. Questions like: “what kind of projects do interns work on?” – not questions like: “do you have any internships for sophomores?” Our Expand Your Network resources will help you approach this.
- Review OCS information on professionalism and plan to dress “business casual” for a fair.
- Bring copies of your resume. Some employers will collect a copy; others won’t. Regardless, preparing your resume helps you articulate your skills when it comes time to speak to an organization representative.
- Feel free to eavesdrop! Hearing other students ask questions will help you learn what success looks like. You can also start with a different employer before speaking with the one you are most excited about – this gives you a chance to practice.
- Cast a wide net! The fair gives you an efficient way to compare and contrast multiple opportunities. You can learn a lot by exploring different employers and different industries. You may assume you are interested in one thing, but realize you also like something else.
We also recommend that you review the recent OCS Career Fair Success webinar hosted on August 30th by three of our career advisers. You may also want to review this OCS PAF’s pre-pandemic advice.
