1. You’ll become familiar with how to navigate a career fair.
The first time you attend a career fair can be intimidating, but you will get more comfortable after you get used to the format. Being comfortable in the space can help you feel more confident in the future. You can meet with your career coach to learn how to prepare. Stacey Abshire (Career Coach at the Career Development Center) will be there from 2-3pm to talk with you, provide guidance, and answer questions.
2. You’ll learn to showcase your awesome skills.
Career Fairs present an opportunity for you to meet new people and tell them about yourself. This can be challenging at first, but talking with many people about your professional skills and aspirations gets easier over time. Practice introducing yourself and answering general interview questions before the fair and let your skills shine through. Prepare questions you would like to ask employers, too!
3. You will learn what types of opportunities are out there.
You may be wondering, what can I gain from going to a career fair as a freshman or sophomore? One of the benefits of attending a career fair before starting your full-time job search is that you can learn what types of opportunities are out there in your field. You can talk to as many or as few employers as you want, but attending will give you a sense of the options available to you and practice networking. You never know – you might learn something new about your career path. Plus, you might build your network and find internship opportunities.
Tips:
- Be prepared. Bring copies of your resume and dress in business professional attire.
- Practice how you will introduce yourself and research organizations that are attending.
- Talk with your career coach before you go.
- Check out SICE’s recommendations here.