To a great extent, all in-person career fairs follow a similar formula – employers will each have a table at the event, and you will be able to walk around and speak to representatives. It is an efficient way to compare and contrast different opportunities and meet the people you might actually work with. Below are a few things to think about in advance of the Startup Career Fair.
1. The participating employers may not be familiar to you.

Startups are new organizations with a small number of employees, so they will not have the brand-recognition of large employers at other fairs.
To explore which employers might be most interesting to you, review them in advance by logging into Crimson Careers > Events > Type=”Career Fairs & Expos” or using this direct link to the Fair.
With over 30 participating organizations, you could quickly skim and read the descriptions for the whole list. However, you can also search and filter on things like: Who is looking for Master’s students? and Who is hiring for internships and/or full-time roles?
2. You do not need to study Computer Science to take advantage of this event!
One of the unique things about Startups is that they can exist across all industries and employment sectors. In addition to “Industry,” use the “Types of Positions Being Filled” filter to explore the “job function,” which is the kind of work you might do for the organization.

3. The event is at the Harvard i-Lab.

The Startup Fair will take place at the Harvard Innovation Lab (i-Lab) at 125 Western Ave on the Allston campus. It is a 10-15 minute walk from the MCS offices at Dunster Street. Please remember to give yourself enough travel time if you are coming from Cambridge or Longwood.
Need a ride?
In addition to the regularly scheduled Harvard Allston Campus Express, special shuttles will run between the corner of Mt. Auburn/Holyoke Streets in Cambridge and the i-Lab in Allston. The first shuttle will leave Mt. Auburn/Holyoke at 12:30pm and the last shuttle will leave the i-Lab at 4:30pm from the corner of Stadium Rd & Western Ave.
4. Bring your curiosity and your resume!
Participating organizations may not expect you to know as much about them as the employers at other fairs do. However, you should be prepared to ask 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.
Plan to bring copies of your resume. Some employers will collect a copy; others won’t. Regardless, your resume acts a bit like your business card, helping people remember you and have the information they need to get back to you. In addition, preparing your resume helps you articulate your skills when it comes time to speak to an organization representative.



More career fair advice and tips…
- MCS webinar: Career Fair Success! Tips to Navigate Larger Events with Employers
- MCS blog post: 6 Tips for Attending a Career Fair