Before the Fair
Register for the Fair
Prepare
Update Handshake and LinkedIn profiles
- When preparing to attend a career fair at a college campus, employers often will seek out candidates from that school. Update your profiles to put your best foot forward
- Having updated profiles will also help the algorithm provide you with relevant employers and jobs/internships
Update your resume and have it reviewed by career services
- We recommend you bring copies of your resume to the career fair with you, so make sure your resume is in tip top shape
- Make an appointment with your college’s career center.
Research companies and job/internship openings
- To see if an employer has job or internship openings, go to the career fair details tab in Handshake (On-campus | Virtual), select all employers, and click on a company's logo. It's a great way to research the company, learn about openings, and apply!
- We also provide industry sheets so you can see what companies are coming to the fair in your industry of interest (these can be found on this website and in Handshake)
- Maps for the on-campus fair are also available on this website and in Handshake. This will be helpful knowing where the companies you want to visit are located across the 2 venues.
Practice your elevator pitch
- Feeling confident in your introduction at an employer’s booth will give employers a great first impression
- Learn how to craft an elevator pitch.
Dress for success
- Plan ahead and dress as you would for an interview. We encourage students to dress for their industry, which may be anywhere from business casual to business formal. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident.
- Need ideas? Check out the Career Fair Success Pinterest board for examples of business formal clothing options.
- Need help purchasing professional attire? Contact [email protected] for information about our assistance program.
- Virtual fair specific: What you wear still matters!
If you are attending the virtual fair on, these are additional steps to help you prepare:
Update and complete your profile
Set your profile to “community” for complete access to both 1:1 and group sessions
- Click the photo icon at the right-hand top of the screen on your Handshake homepage, select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu. Scroll down to the privacy section and select Community
- See this article on Changing Student Privacy Settings for additional help
Complete your profile to qualify for 1:1 sessions
- Go Under Education in “My Profile” to edit the following information:
- College (your college is the University of Minnesota)
- Graduation date (called time period in Handshake)
- Major (select your major)
- GPA* (employers can filter on cumulative GPA)
- Go Under the Name & Photo/Photo Placeholder in “My Profile” to edit School Year
- Fill out Work Authorization under “Settings & Privacy”
Sign up for sessions
- We encourage you to review all the employers in attendance, but you may also filter this list by industry, job type, major, work authorization, and more to target employers that match your interests
- You’ll be able to sign up for two different types of sessions with employers: Group sessions and 1:1 sessions
- Group sessions will last 30 minutes with up to 50 students to participate in a presentation/Q&A
- 1:1 sessions will be between you and one recruiter and will last 10 minutes
- Need help signing up? Read this article on signing up for sessions
Note: In order to see and qualify for sessions employers have available during the fair, complete step 2.
Upload your resume to your profile
- Employers will want to see your resume, and the only way for them to access it is through your profile. Make sure your resume is uploaded to your profile!
- Check out this 1-minute video on how to upload your resume.
*If you aren't necessarily looking for job or internship opportunities, you do not need to complete this step. However, we highly encourage you to sign up for Group Sessions to learn more about organizations, the work they do, and the opportunities they have for when you're ready to look for an internship or job.
Review additional materials and prepare talking points
- Review 10 tips you need to know about attending a virtual fair to help you feel prepared.
- See how to prepare for your virtual career fair elevator pitch for introducing yourself to employers.
- Check out this article on what participating in a virtual fair will be like.
- Make sure your technology is all set up for the fair and go over the Handshake Video Requirements & Troubleshooting for Students article.
- You can sign up for more sessions the day of the fair!
At the Fair
In-Person
Have a plan
- Know what organizations you plan to talk to and where they are located (pro tip - don’t start with the employer at the top of your list!)
Scan the QR code in each venue
- Visit both locations to not miss out on any employers. Scan the QR code in each location to be entered to win a raffle prize!
Have a question; feeling nervous?
- There will be career coaches in both locations available to answer any questions you have, help you practice your elevator pitch, and provide a space for you to take a break
Prepare for follow up:
- Take notes on your conversations including details on how to follow-up with the employer
- Ask for the employer's contact information
Virtual
Join your sessions
- On the day of the virtual fair, you'll need to access your schedule in Handshake, and join your virtual sessions.
- For more information on locating your schedule, and joining your sessions, refer to Join a Virtual Career Fair Session.
- REMINDER:
- Handshake employs Twilio as its video provider, so it may be necessary to make certain adjustments in order for you to participate.
- Reviewing our video requirements beforehand is key to making sure you have a great experience at the virtual fair.
- Check out Attendee Requirements for Integrated Video for more information.
Attend your sessions
- Once you join your sessions, you'll have access to an array of different video features.
- To learn more about the available settings and options, refer to Attending via Video on Handshake!
- If you take part in a group session and your microphone is unclickable, this is because the host has disabled this function for better sound quality. You'll need to use the chat to ask questions, or the "raise-hand" feature.
- Wrap up your session
- Sessions will end automatically 20 minutes after the scheduled end time, to allow for additional conversation.
- You may leave a session and rejoin, but you may only be connected to a session via one device.
- When the session ends, a prompt will appear with additional steps to take with the employer, including the option to follow them in Handshake and review recommended jobs - one job will be listed, and you can click View all to review all posted jobs at your school from this employer.
- Learn more about Following an Employer in Handshake.
- Additional information on attending virtual fairs:
Day of support via Zoom
If you have questions regarding Handshake and attending a virtual career fair, there will be a Zoom room you can join to get your question(s) answered.
After the Fair
Send a Thank You
- Send tailored thank you emails to the employers you connected with at the fair
- Proofread your email and consider having someone else look it over
Follow-Up and Apply Online
- Complete any other follow-up items the employers indicated, including applying for positions online.
International Student Information
We understand that being an international student seeking career experience in the U.S. presents some unique challenges. (As one who will eventually require sponsorship to continue work in the U.S. beyond CPT and OPT.)
To help you respond to those challenges, we have prepared a few resources that are specific to the international student experience at job fairs:
- Read all of the information in “Prepare for the Fair.”
- Read all of the resources outlined here for International Students.
- Visit your college career center for a resume review, to practice introducing yourself, and to resolve any additional questions about the fair.
For further career information and resources for international students, please visit the Career Services website.
International Student Career Fair Preparation Workshops
Join the International Student Career Fair Preparation Workshop to get ready for the upcoming Spring 2025 career fairs!
This event will feature helpful tips and information from presenters from ISSS and Career Services. All UMN international students who are attending spring career fairs are welcome to attend.
We will discuss: what to expect at a career fair, how to talk with employers, your work authorization options, and tips for successful interactions and follow-up at a career fair.
Career Fair Checklist for International Students
- Begin with an introduction that emphasizes your qualifications.
- Showcase the research you have done about the company, and your fit with the company.
- Ask questions that will get a conversation started, and let the employer learn what you bring beyond being an international student.
Answering Common Employer Questions About Sponsorship
"Do you need sponsorship?" or "Do you need work authorization?"
- "My education visa covers me for internships. I don't need any authorization or sponsorship from an employer."
- "My education visa covers me for X months during which time I do not need authorization or sponsorship from my employer. After that I would need my employer to file for a work visa, but I expect by that time to have really demonstrated my value and my fit for your company."
- "I would not require sponsorship or any additional paperwork or expense to work for you as an intern. If, as I hope happens, I do such a great job that you want to keep me on for full time, then I would ultimately need sponsorship."
Accommodations
- For any accommodation needs please reach out to [email protected] by email two weeks before the fair.
- Learn about Handshake's closed captioning and interpretation services.
Transportation
Free buses from system campuses (registration for the fair does not guarantee a seat on a bus, you must sign up separately):
Crookston | Duluth | Morris | Rochester | Twin Cities