Getting Ready for a Job Fair

One way to learn about many jobs at one time is to attend a job or career fair. These events have many different employers with different types of jobs all together in person or online. You should be ready to share your resume and talk to employers when you attend the fair.

Want to practice or have questions? Contact Rachel, Career Navigator, at rsbuczynski@fcps.edu.

Watch this video for more information on virtual job fairs: https://youtu.be/VyJ-ksaAsFo

Here are more tips for how to attend a job fair.

Job Fair Tips

• Research the companies who will be at the job fair before the event. Think about which ones you would like to talk to. You might not have time to talk to everyone, so make sure to talk to your favorites first. 
• Wear professional clothes, but make sure you are comfortable. If it is in-person, you will be walking around meeting different people. If the job fair is virtual, you will be sitting for a long time.
• Have your resume ready. If you are in-person, bring copies to hand to employers. If you are online, have the file clearly labeled with your name and ready to email. (Need help making a resume? Contact Rachel, Career Navigator, at rsbuczynski@fcps.edu!) 
• Practice what you will say when you meet an employer. Think about how you will introduce yourself and what kind of job you are looking for. 
• For example: "Hi, my name is Rachel, and I am looking for a sales position." Or, "Hi! I have many years of experience in sales and would like to work with your company - do you have any positions open?" 
• Practice interview questions before you attend the fair. You probably won't be asked many questions, since there will be lots of people, but you might get asked things like:
• What kind of job are you looking for?
• What experience do you have?
• When could you start?
• Are you looking for a part-time job or a full-time job?
• Do you have training/education? 
• Take notes! If you speak to many employers, you might forget who said what. Take notes after you speak to each person so you can look at them later.
• If you are attending a virtual/online fair, make sure and log on early to check that your technology is working. Make sure your background is clear and you have good lighting. 
• Remember to act confident and friendly! Make sure to smile and ask questions about the company. 
• After the job fair, email anyone you talked to and say thank you for their time and ask any questions you have.

Sources: TopResume.com, Indeed.com