Career fair season is upon us.  Many non-graduating students however quickly walk past the employer-filled hustle and bustle of the Unicentre Atrium to make a bee-line for a caffeine fix to help get through the whirlwind of activity and deadlines of the busy student life. Even if you are not in your final year of your degree though, a longer stop at a career fair may just be time well spent. Attending a career fair and interacting with employers can be a great first painless step to help the answer the nagging “what am I going to do after I graduate?” question.

Here are a number of ways the Career Fair can be worth the visit even if you are not graduating:

Find out who is hiring

If an organization is represented at a career fair chances are that they are actively seeking new graduates to hire now or in the near future.  Take a look at the list or organizations that are attending the fairs prior to attending and learn about them by looking at their websites.  Find a few of interest and plan to visit their booths.

 

Find out what the company/industry is looking for in new hires 

Introduce yourself to the representatives of the organizations of interest, and ask questions about what they are seeking in new recruits.  You can explain that while you are not graduating yet, you are interested in finding out information. What do they look for in a resume? What type of opportunities do they have at their organization?  What type of skills and experiences are they looking for? Do you they offer internships or summer job opportunities? What advice do they have for a student who hopes to one day work for their organization? Not only are you getting information which may be very helpful to your future job search, but you also get the opportunity to practice your communication and networking skills with employers.

 

Ask for business cards to bridge further contact

If an organization has really piqued your curiosity and you are interested in learning more about them, thank the employer for the information and politely ask for a business card to follow up. Contact them a few days later, explain that you had met them at the Career Fair and are interested in learning more about their organization.  This can provide an excellent opportunity to growing your networks and also help to answer some of the questions you have about careers and job search in a specific industry

 

Take the information that you gathered and make an action plan

Take the information you have gathered about sought after skills and experiences and look for gaps or areas of improvement in your resume and find ways to fill them.  For example, if you have been told that the employer values retail and customer service experience you might consider a part time or summer job in that industry while completing your degree.  Some of those gaps can also be filled in other ways such as volunteer work, Co-ops and internships. Come visit Career Services to discuss how you can grow your skills and experience.

 

While graduation can feel so far away, attending a career fair to gather information about organizations and the world of work can be a great first step.  The more preparation you can do prior to graduation the more likely you will have an easier transition into landing that first post grad job.