Prepare ahead of time for the fairs to make sure you get the most out of your experience. This page will provide you with some resources and tips to help you get started.
Fair Prep Events
Career Fair Prep Night
February 14, 2024
5:30pm – 7pm
Location TBD
We’re here to help you get ready for the Fair! Whether it’s your first time attending a career fair or you are a seasoned pro, we’ll have a great line up of pre-fair resources to check out, including:
- Resume Reviews
- Fair Tips & Advice
- Practice Your “Elevator Pitch” Introduction
- FREE LinkedIn Headshots
Career Fair FAQ
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What should I wear to the career fairs?
We encourage students to wear business casual attire. A full suit isn’t necessary (unless you want to wear one)!
Which fairs should I attend?
View the descriptions, attending employers, and job roles listed for each fair to determine whether it might be of interest to you. You are encouraged to attend as many fairs as you’d like!
The all-campus Career & Internship Fair will have employers representing a wide variety of industries and job roles, while other fairs might be more specific to certain industries or organizations. Learn more from the Fair descriptions on the main page and view attending employer information on Handshake.
Should I attend all days of the Career & Internship Fair?
You can attend whichever days you’re able, but there will be different employers on each day. View each Fair day in Handshake to find the employers that will be attending on each day.
Do I need to register to attend the Fairs?
For the in-person all-campus Career & Internship Fair, registration is not required, but it’s a good idea to review the fair in Handshake to learn more about the attending employers.
For virtual fairs, including the virtual all-campus Career & Internship Fair and the Technology, Data & Analytics Fair, you will need to register in advance and sign up for sessions with employers via Handshake.
Are first year students able to attend career fairs?
Yes! First year students can attend to learn more about companies and potential job opportunities. Employers that are open to meeting with first year students will be marked at the fair.
Before the Fairs
Before the fairs, do some research on the employers who will be attending and think about which employers you’d like to meet with and learn more about. Write down two or three questions you would ask a recruiter. Below are some sample questions you might want to ask.
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Sample Questions to Ask Employers
- What skills or traits do you look for in candidates?
- What is your company’s hiring timeline?
- What are some of the key responsibilities of this job/internship?
- What is a typical career path for someone coming in at my level?
- What kind of training program does your organization have? Formal/Informal? Short term/Long term?
- What is a day like in this position?
- What type of formal education is required for entry-level, mid-level, upper-level, positions?
- Do people filling this type of position work in a structured or non-structured environment?
- How is performance evaluated? How often?
- What degree of task variety would a person see in their first year?
- What opportunities did you take advantage of while you were in college to help you prepare for your job?
- How much client contact do you have?
Virtual Fair Tips
Virtual Career Fair Prep Workshop Recording
Learn how to navigate the virtual career fairs on Handshake, including how to register for fairs, sign up for sessions, and connect with employers. RSVP on Handshake at the links below.
View recording of the workshop here.
Make sure to review Handshake’s technical requirements before any virtual fairs.
Students can now sign up for sessions and participate in the fairs via your computer or the Handshake iOS and Android apps!
Note: Chrome/Firefox are the recommended browsers to use for fairs – you may have issues with Safari.
Handshake Guides to help you prepare for the Fairs:
Virtual Career Fair FAQ
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Will students be able to submit their resumes to employers? Without joining sessions?
Yes!
What if all sessions are full on the day of a Fair?
We will surface all employer session information to your office so you can remind employers to add sessions if they are looking full.
Will students' profiles need to be public to participate?
Depending on the type of session the student is signing up for they will need to update their profile to either the Employer or Community setting.
Will students be able to leave sessions they have signed up for?
Yes, students can leave sessions up until the time that it is scheduled. We will show them a warning if they are leaving a session within 48 hours.
Will students who live internationally be able to participate?
There are no restrictions by location, so as long as the student has logged into Handshake they will be able to participate.
Can a student see a history of their chat interactions?
Yes! Students will be able to see their previous sessions within the sessions tab.
Will students, employers and career staff have access to transcripts of the chats they had during the virtual fair?
Transcripts will not be provided for conversations held during the fair. Instead, there will be moderation options for students and employers to utilize during conversations.
Career Advising
Need to do a deeper dive into your career exploration? Meet with a Career Advisor before the Fairs ! Schedule a 1:1 appointment by clicking on the link below with your respected School or College: