How to Work a Career Fair
What to Expect
- Employers expect you to be prepared (have a polished resume, dress professionally, research the companies in advance, strong eye contact and handshake, etc.).
- You have less than 60 seconds to make a positive first impression on the recruiter. Prepare your elevator pitch in advance.
- The goal of a career fair is to secure a follow-up conversation or an interview—not a job offer.
- Don’t be alarmed if the recruiter recommends or even requires you to apply on their website. In some cases, they may not even take a paper copy of your resume.
- See our full before, during, and after guide below.
Elevator Pitches
An elevator pitch is your brief personal commercial designed to grab the employers attention. It should be a dialogue, not a monologue. Keep it conversational with natural pauses for the recruiter to interject.
Introduce yourself with your name, year, major, involvement, and goals:
“Good morning, My name is Taylor Johnson. I’m a junior marketing major with a digital
marketing area of emphasis. I am also active in the WVU American Marketing Association.
I’m focused on gaining experience in brand strategy and digital campaigns.”
Show your knowledge of the company or why you're interested in it:
“I saw your internship listed in Handshake and was excited to see that it involves
both digital content creation and consumer research—two areas I’m really passionate
about.”
Highlight what you bring to the table:
“Last semester, I led a social media rebrand for a local business through a class
project, which improved their engagement by 40%. I’d love to bring that same creative
and data-driven mindset to your team.”
Ask an open-ended question to start a conversation:
“What qualities do your most successful interns usually have?”
If you're not eligible yet or exploring early:
“Hello! I know your internships are for upperclassmen, but I’d love your advice on
what skills or experiences I should build now as a sophomore to be a strong applicant
next year.”
Get organized. breath deeply. follow up.
BEFORE
- Create an accurate and concise resume.
- Get your resume reviewed by a career development specialist.
- Identify the target employers that you know you want to visit, and research them.
- Use a briefcase or binder to organize your resumes and cover letters—you will want to tailor them to specific companies that you know you want to consider.
- Create a list of questions to ask employers.
- Decide what you will wear at least a week in advance, so you will know if you need to go shopping or have something cleaned.
DURING
- Bring your student ID to check-in at the fair.
- Plan your course of action by reviewing the map of employer locations.
- Maintain your professionalism while walking through the aisles. Recruiters are forming their opinions before you arrive at their booth.
- Be cognizant of the speed, tone, and volume of your speech.
- Deliver your elevator pitch with confidence and offer a copy of your resume.
- Thank the recruiter for their time.
- Stay organized during the fair. Jot down recruiter names, impressions, follow-up instructions, etc.
- Don’t collect more employer giveaways than you can hold in one hand.
AFTER
- Give yourself the competitive edge by sending a thank you email that evening to the recruiters from your target companies.
- Continue to nurture your network.
- Comply with their application instructions.
- Be persistent. Within a reasonable amount of time, it is okay to send an email or call to inquire about the status of your application.