Itâs that time of year again, career fair season! Recruiters and human resources professionals gather at colleges and universities to search for potential interns and full-time employees. While being out of the office may seem fun, attending multiple fairs a week and talking to hundreds of students can be overwhelming to even seasoned professionals. Here are some tips to help you prepare and maintain your stamina throughout the semester.
Packing and Prep Work
First, confirm you have completed registration and paid any outstanding balances. This will make the check-in process much easier. Most colleges will send reminder emails with information regarding check-in, parking, timeline, etc. Use this information to create a schedule for the day including travel and meals. Google or iPhone maps are excellent ways to plan your route!
Be sure to prepare what youâre planning to say to students. You could provide information about your company, its services/products or descriptions of available positions.
Now that youâre logistically prepared, letâs start packing. Of course, youâll need to pack the necessary marketing items (branded tablecloth, banner/sign, brochures, fidget spinners, etc.). Try to pack light, but bring enough so you wonât run out of anything. Carts are a fantastic investment if you have a lot of materials. Some other items to consider packing: comfortable shoes, hand sanitizer, pens, notepad, snacks and bottled water. Youâll be doing a lot of walking, talking and shaking hands.
Traveling
Make sure you have the correct address in your GPS and know where parking is located. Plan on arriving early to find parking as lots and garages fill up fast. You also never know how slow or fast traffic is going to be.
Download a few podcasts episodes or create a music playlist, youâre going to need it on the road. Our recommendations include: EchoChamber, Stuff You Missed in History Class and Hidden Brain. Donât forget those delicious snacks you packed and stay hydrated!
Before and During the Fair
Once you arrive, check-in to the career fair and find your booth. Throw the tablecloth on the table, set up the banner/sign, organize the marketing items and prepare to talk to students! If you have extra time before the fair starts, network with fellow employers. You never know where a connection could lead!
During the career fair, stand up and be engaged with the attendees! If youâre sitting down and staring at your phone/laptop, it appears as if you arenât interested in being there and students will walk past your booth. Youâre there to connect with students, not your phone.
After the Fair
Take note of any details you may want to know for future career fairs. If a fair didnât provide beverages, you may want to remember to bring some for next yearâs event. Complete the post-fair survey and offer the school any helpful feedback that may help them in the future.
Also, be sure to follow up with connections you made at the career fairs. You could end up hiring one of the students you meet!
Obviously, the amount of planning, time and money spent, and number of universities to attend will vary based off of how big or small the company is and the industry that company fits into. Once this is mapped out, a company needs to select a number of target schools to attract talent from. Unfortunately for most organizations, just selecting a school, and attending their career fairs alone wonât bring the college kids running through your doors.