3 Reasons College Students Should Attend A Fall Career Fair

Walking across campus with the wind gently blowing, looking at the trees with an assortment of autumn colors and enjoying the brisk air as I strolled to class was my favorite part of fall semester in college. Good times!  Now that fall is here students are involved in a variety of campus activities; sports, homecoming and social groups to name just a few.  While other events may prove to be more popular, few campus events are more important than the fall career fairs hosted by colleges.  Why make a career fair priority among the list of events to attend?  Here are three reasons all college students should go to a career fair this fall.

1.  Find a Job.  One of the most common reasons to attend a career fair is of course, getting a job. There is an array of entry level positions offered at career fairs. Why would a college student need a job? Let’s face it, college is not cheap these days and the more income a student earns, the less stressful the financial situation will be. Secondly, even if your college tuition is paid with a full scholarship it can still be beneficial to work an internship, part time, seasonal or full time job to gain work experience prior to graduation. Employers often look for customer service skills at a minimum when hiring recent graduates and several customer centric jobs are offered at career fairs.

2.  Experience.  Students who prefer not to work while in college should not decline the opportunity to experience attending a career fair. The experience is valuable and provides a hands-on outlet for students to learn how to navigate the career fair scene, understand what to expect, learn job fair etiquette and how to prepare for the events.   Think of the big picture- a large room, abundance of prospects seeking a job and a group of employers who have jobs to offer. Where do you go? What should you look for? How long should you stay at the tables? All questions that can be answered through experience. Gaining knowledge of how to work the room is a great experience for someone who may not be ready to apply to jobs yet. This practice will make you a pro when you are ready to be an aggressive job seeker.

3.  Networking.  It could be argued that networking is as good as or more important than a good resume these days. Why is networking important? If done right, networking can lead to knowledge of upcoming career opportunities and information about the company through an insider’s perspective as opposed to only a website. Networking can also help students to meet key people who have influence in hiring. Students only have a few minutes to make a lasting impression, exchange names and obtain business cards. What you say (or don’t say) is important during this interaction. What you do with the cards can be life changing. Swiftly connecting with the recruiter on LinkedIn and following the company is recommended. Networking can play an essential part of being a recruiter’s pipeline candidate for future career opportunities.

Don’t miss the benefits of attending a career fair. Whether a freshman who just wants to check out the scene or a senior who is looking for an entry level position, there is a reason for all students to attend a career fair. The exposure through networking, the experience that leads to knowing what to expect and the ability to get a job or internship are all great reasons to stop by your campus career center to register for a career fair today. 

Tina Smith, PHR is a Human Resources Professional and experienced Recruiter. To see more interview, resume, and job search tips from Tina, follow her on LinkedIn.