How to Impress at Career Fairs

Walking into a room with more than 100 employers can be an intimidating experience if you are not prepared. You must be ready if you want to impress recruiters and increase your chances of finding a job or internship.

Before the career fair:
Research the companies that interest you. Look over the list of exhibiting companies and go to their Web sites to learn more. This pre-work will let you think of intelligent questions to ask company recruiters.

Prepare your "60 second commercial" so that you will be prepared to introduce yourself. Include your name, area of study, skills and accomplishments.

Pre-register so that you can skip the registration line.

At the career fair:
Dress to impress! What would you wear to an interview? Think conservative - you want to be remembered for your professionalism, not an inappropriate outfit.

Be organized. Have plenty of resumes ready and easily accessible in a nice folder or portfolio so you won't have to search for your resumes when you meet company representatives.

Smile and make eye contact. Shake hands firmly - not too hard, not too limp. Now is the time to give your 60 second commercial, and ask questions about the company.

Ask for a business card and the recruiter's preferred method of communication.

After the career fair:
Follow up! Send the recruiter a thank you note or e-mail. This is the time to mention anything pertinent to the position you are interested in that you may have forgotten about at the career fair.