A job fair is not just an opportunity to send a resume, but a fertile ground for real connections that can jumpstart your career. But to turn it from a mass event into a personal opportunity, a smart strategy is required.

August 29, 2025

1 min

For job seekers on the periphery, a job fair can be a direct gateway to top companies that are usually inaccessible. So how do you win at an employment fair?
The answer lies in thorough preparation, real-time targeted action and proper follow-up.

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Step 1: Before the employment fair - prepare as for the test

Your success at the fair begins even before you get to it. Investing in advance preparation will allow you to stand out above the rest of the candidates.

Preliminary research: Most employment fairs pre-publish a list of the participating companies. Spend time researching the companies that are relevant to you. Understand their areas of activity, read about the roles they offer and these are the relevant contacts.

Preparation of “Fitch Elevator“: You only have 30 seconds to impress. Prepare a short, precise sentence that describes who you are, your outstanding skills and what you are looking for. Practice the Fitch until it flows naturally.

Professional equipment: PRINT DOZENS OF COPIES OF UP-TO-DATE, HIGH-QUALITY RESUMES. In addition, make a personal business card if you have one, or a photo of a QR code that references your LinkedIn profile.
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Step 2: During the employment fair - conduct interviews in miniature

Instead of handing out resumes to each booth, treat each conversation as a brief job interview. The goal is not only to leave an impression, but also to learn.

Conduct an investigation on the spot: When you approach the podium, do not immediately start a conversation. Observe, listen to the questions that other candidates ask and relate to the answers given by the companies.

Ask smart questions: Instead of asking “What are you doing?” Ask, “What are your biggest challenges in the X field?” Such a question shows genuine interest and professional knowledge.

Focus on quality rather than quantity: It's better to have meaningful conversations with 3-4 companies, than to hand out resumes to 20 companies without real interaction.

Collect business cards: Be sure to ask for a business card from each representative you chat with. Immediately after the conversation, write down on the back of the card a small detail of the course of the conversation, to remember the context.
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Step 3: After the employment fair - professional closure

The follow-up is the most critical part of the process, and it is the one that will differentiate you from all the other candidates.

Personal Thank You Email: Within 24 hours of the event, send a short thank you email to any representative you chatted with. Mention your name, mention something from your conversation (for example: “I enjoyed hearing about the challenges you mentioned regarding...”) And express your interest again.

Networking on LinkedIn: Send a LinkedIn login request to all representatives. Please, add a personal note: “I really enjoyed our conversation at the employment fair.”

Perseverance and flexibility: Even if you did not hear back immediately, do not despair. Take advantage of the information you have received to improve your resume and fit for future job fairs.

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A job fair is not just a day of job search, but an opportunity to build relationships, broaden horizons and find your next job. We at the Lauder Center are here to give you the tools and accompaniment to pass any job fair successfully.

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Good luck!