Why Attend a Career Fair?

The Career & Internship Fair is fast approaching and if you haven’t started preparing, there are a few things you can be doing to make sure you make the most out of the experience. First, let me convince you why attending a career fair is of value, even if you aren’t ready for your first full time job.

I will be the first to admit, that as an undergrad, I did not go to a career fair hosted at my campus. However, in the two years I have been at TWU, I have  attended more fairs than I can count off the top of my head, and even though I love my job, I always end up talking with a recruiter that makes me think “I could do that job!”. My point is, that even though I am not job searching, nor am I interested in leaving my current job, I leave the career fairs having gained information about possible careers, with an expanded network, and a bit more confidence in myself.

These companies pay  for the opportunity to come to campus to speak with you. They want to hear about why you would make a great addition to their company. They have openings at their companies they need to fill. They want to hire the best possible person for these openings. So much so, that there is a whole occupation for finding talented candidates – recruiters!

Recruiters are focused on finding talent for their organizations. They come to career fairs seeking talented students to work for their companies. They want you. You are the talent. So talk with them. Don’t focus so much on the product or service their companies are known for. The actual job opportunities that make each and every company successful are huge! You might learn of an opportunity you never knew existed!

Lastly, if you practice communicating your skills and accomplishments with low impact people – companies that you are not necessarily interested in working for – you will feel a lot more prepared talking yourself with the companies that do interest you. 

So come on out to the Career & Internship Fair this semester. Visit Career Connections to help you prepare. We’ll get your resume ready, help plan your outfit, and get you practicing your elevator pitch – the shortened version of the #1 interview question – Tell me about yourself.

By Vianet Garza
Vianet Garza Career Consultant, Denton Campus