Whether you are a seasoned career fair attendee or attending for the first time, consider these tips and guidelines to prepare before, during, and after the fair.

 

BEFORE THE FAIR

Visit the Engineering Career Events page to locate the fair you plan to attend and see the full list of employers recruiting at the fair.

Profile updates

  • Create or revise your Handshake and CareerFair+ profiles

    HANDSHAKE | Update career interests and search factors you are prioritizing such as location, type of role, industry, and more. 

    CareerFair+ | Update profile qualifications, including major, year, type of role you are seeking

Identify employers attending

  • Research employers attending through Handshake, CareerFair+, LinkedIn, and company websites
  • Create a list of your 5-10 top employers

Prepare for employer interactions

  • Research and tailor your approach!

Think about the company’s

  • Products and services
  • Company culture
  • Recent news such as acquisitions, name changes, or any interesting projects
  • Prepare 3-5 questions for each company
  • Create and/or revise your resume and print enough copies to give to recruiters. Make sure to upload your most recent resume to Handshake and CareerFair+
  • Prepare and practice your personal introduction or elevator pitch
  • Plan out your arrival to the career fair including travel time. Give yourself enough time to arrive with time to spare and collect your thoughts upon arrival.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

  • Dress professionally. Career fair attendees are most commonly expected to dress in business casual. On-campus interview attire is business professional. Professional Dress + Attire guidelines can be found here. 
  • Expanding your professional wardrobe? Schedule an Campus Career Closet appointment via Handshake through Career Discovery and Success.
  • Pack your pad folio, pen, resume copies, and confidence.

 

DURING OR DAY-OF

As you approach the beginning of the career fair, remember to take a deep breath. Review your resume, notes you prepared about companies you hope to interact with. Most importantly, be yourself!

  • Check-in and familiarize yourself with the event map.
  • Develop your career fair game plan using CareerFair+. Create your list of employers in the order which you plan to approach them.
  • As you greet the company representative:
    • Offer a strong handshake or another form of greeting.
    • Make eye contact when greeting and speaking with recruiters.
    • Be mindful of your body language and movements such as posture, fidgeting hands, proximity to others.
  • Begin with personal introduction. Project your voice, as the space may be loud.
    • Ask prepared questions.
    • Discuss any next steps for applying to opportunities that will occur after the fair.
  • Take notes after each interaction before moving on to the next employer.
    TIP | Ensure you receive contact information such as a business card, or confirm the best way to follow up with questions.

AFTER

Follow up

  • Send an email thank-you note within 24-48 hours.
  • Personalize the note to each company or recruiter.

Include in your thank-you note:

  • Appreciation for taking the time to speak with you
  • Something you enjoyed or learned from the conversation
  • The action you plan to take or completed based on your conversations

Keep your message short -- under 100 words. Attach your resume for reference.

Hint: Keep contact information you collected from the company representative in an organized place so you can refer back to it in the future.

Dear Mr. / Ms. [ Name ],

It was a pleasure to meet you at the [Career Event name] this week. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about your company’s vision for [ what company is working on ]. I really enjoyed learning [ something you learned from conversation ] and am excited about the ways  [ developing or new ] engineers can contribute to this effort.

Per our conversation, I explored the position openings you indicated are available and look forward to submitting my materials in the coming days.

I look forward to keeping in touch. Thanks again for your time [ yesterday / this week ].

Sincerely,

[ Name ]

Take Action

  • Follow the recruiter’s instruction about applying for positions within a few days.
  • Consider asking recruiter for follow-up call, virtual chat, or informational interview connection.
  • Attend any follow-up recruitment events with companies you are most attracted to. You can find them on the Auburn Engineering Career Events page, the company website or LinkedIn page.