How to make the most of a careers fair

Undergraduate student, Eshaan Thapar, shares his top tips for attending a careers fair.

Why attend a careers fair? 

Attending a careers fair at Warwick Business School (WBS) is an excellent opportunity to network, explore career options and gain insights into various industries. From my experiences, I have enjoyed talking to employers about their early career programmes and the requirements for their applications. Career’s fairs are very useful for learning more about the potential career path that you want to follow as they provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. You will gain insights about a specific role, company or industry. 

How to prepare for the fair? 

Career’s fairs may seem daunting at first and you might feel nervous before attending one. This is completely normal, but following these 3 simple steps will help you to feel prepared:

1. Research: Identify employers and companies that align with your career goals and learn more about the company’s values. Preparing questions and asking for feedback on your profile can boost your application and can give you more clarity about the different opportunities available to you. Whilst researching and preparing, you can strategically allocate your time as you may find it challenging to meet every single employer at the fair.

2. Note-taking and networking: I have always found note-taking useful for career's fairs as it allows you to retain key information. This can also be helpful in following up after the fair.

Networking involves getting to know an individual and forming a connection with them. You can start by talking about their role and the company they work for. If time permits, you can hold a longer conversation where you can talk about any common interests or anything that you are comfortable with. Adding the people who you have spoken to on LinkedIn can be useful to continue any conversations. 

3. Be open-minded: Career’s fairs will not necessarily answer every question that you have about your career path or about the company. You should attend the fair with an open mind as you might end up learning something completely new. You should also push yourself to explore opportunities that may not seem as appealing at first, as you may find roles that align perfectly with your skills and interests. The open-minded approach will reflect adaptability, which is essential in the rapidly evolving and challenging job market. 

All in all, you will enjoy the fair as you are likely to meet people with similar skills and interests, who are pursuing a similar career. Do not put too much pressure on yourself and think of it as an opportunity to explore your options and gain a deeper understanding about your career. 

After the fair 

If you managed to take notes during the fair, it is very useful to reflect on your experience by revisiting your notes and following any advice or links that you have added. I have found it useful to reach out to any new LinkedIn connections to follow up on conversations. These connections are crucial as you can ask them more questions about their experience and for any tips whilst applying for different programmes. You can now conduct more research about something that particularly grabbed your attention at the fair and explore other future events and fairs. 

Happy networking! 

Eshaan Thapar