Career Fairs are some of the most important events you can attend. The best thing about them is that you know for a fact that every organization that attends is hiring. To get the most out of a job fair you can't expect it to be enough to simply attend. You have to do some serious work if you want to have the best chance at getting noticed.
Preparation
Go to the fair's website before you attend and look up the companies that are attending. Make a list of the ones that most interest you and research more about them. What exactly are the positions for which they are hiring? What kind of work does the organization do? These are all things you can find out on their website and/or social media profiles.
After you are done researching, you should send your resume to each of the organizations you are interested in speaking to at the fair. Mention in your e-mail that you are going to be attending the job fair, and that you would be interested in speaking to them more about the position.
Attending The Fair
Choosing when to get to the career fair is a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly. It's best to arrive as early as you can to beat the long lines that you will encounter. If there is something that prevents you from getting there early, plan to head there towards the end of the first day of the fair. The lines will be shorter then, giving you more time to talk to recruiters.
Plan to bring extra copies of your resume, cover letter, and business cards; you never know when you will need them.
After The Fair
Send personalized follow-up notes to every recruiter to whom you speak. These can be handled in the same way as a normal follow-up message. If you don't hear back from any of them after a week, call them up and re-state your interest in the job.
Career fairs are a great opportunity to enhance your job search, but only if you do the necessary preparation. Follow this advice, and you will walk out of the fair in very good shape.
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