Welcome back, Missouri State Bears! The college career and organization fair season is here and the campus is buzzing with community partners joining together. When I attended my first career fair, I felt unprepared going in and overwhelmed when I walked out. These events should be a chance to learn what opportunities are available at Missouri State and beyond, not an event to stress students out. The biggest advice I can give is to prepare ahead of time; read below to learn how. 

Creating a Game Plan

One of the biggest reasons students leave a college fair stressed is because of the amount of tables they feel they have to visit. One way I have found to alleviate this stress is to research beforehand what companies/organizations will be in attendance at the event. I make a note of the tables I have a strong interest in learning more about and where they are located in the event space. Any others that I may have questions about or that spark excitement I will rank as a second priority to talk to if the time allows during my visit. 

Mastering an Introduction

These events are designed so that you can get to know representatives and so that they can get to know you. Many of the representatives in attendance are sent out to recruit and they are looking for good candidates. How you present yourself matters. Picking out an outfit that represents you well, makes you feel confident, and is appropriate for the occasion is a good first step in an introduction. At every table you visit you’ll have the opportunity to present an “elevator pitch” covering all the relevant information about yourself that showcases your skill set. Practicing this speech beforehand is recommended so that you can make revisions and memorize the short piece. Finally, after you’ve introduced yourself, you’ll want to allow them to introduce themselves and who they are representing. Having questions prepared to ask will show them that you have a strong interest in and care for what they have to share. 

Make a Lasting Impression

If you’ve followed all of this advice up until this point you are on a path to success. However, the people you meet are also feeling overwhelmed with how many students they met at the event and it’s important that you stand out among the rest. Bring a notebook with a pen to write down any new information you gather such as contact information, salaries, meeting dates, location, position descriptions, etc. Using a notebook instead of your phone shows the representatives that you are engaged and interested. Creating an updated resume that is specific to the event and leaving it with those who you talk to is a sure way to be remembered. Lastly, make sure to connect or follow up with the representatives after the event.  Visit the Missouri State Career Center resume-review drop-in hours for more guidance.

Takeaways

Preparing for these events ahead of time allows students to walk in with confidence and leave feeling assured that they got the most out of the experience. In your planning stage for a career/organization fair, consider visiting the Center for Academic Success and Transition office to meet with a Peer Mentor or a Success Coach. You can request to meet or stop by during drop-in hours. (Drop-in hours change every semester; see the Student Academic Assistance page for this semester’s hours.)

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, and I am a senior studying special needs education. Fun fact: I’ve read over 15 books this year!)