The career fair season will be getting underway just a few weeks after you get back to campus. Here’s the lineup for Spring 2017:
- Business Career Fair – Spring 2017
- Wednesday, February 1, 2017
- 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
- Thursday, February 2, 2017
- 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Arts & Culture Career Fair in Chicago
- Friday, February 3, 2017
- 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
- Start-Up Career Fair
- Thursday, Feb 9, 2017
- 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Educators Job Fair – Spring 2017
- Monday, March 6, 2017
- 9:30 am – 12:30
- Spring 2017 Illini Career and Internship Fair
- Wednesday, April 5, 2017
- 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Here are some things to to do NOW to get ready.
- Figure out which fairs you will attend and why. There are lots of reasons, beyond getting a summer internship or post graduation job: to learn more about jobs and employers that might interest you, to practice your interviewing/networking skills, to get to know employers that you’d like to work with after you graduate.
- Start researching (where possible) the employers that you would like to talk to. I-Link is already listing the employers who will be attending the Business Career Fair.
- Fill any gaps in your wardrobe. Contrary to what you may have heard, suits are NOT a requirement. A suit may help you make a good impression at the Business Career Fair, but it will just show you to be out of place at the Arts and Culture Fair or the Startup Fair. Some good business casual pieces (slacks, skirts, collared shirts, professional-looking tops, jacket, dress shoes) will help you look professionally appropriate in a range of contexts.
- Update your resume (or create one if you haven’t yet).
- Think about how you will introduce yourself to potential employers. You don’t need to memorize an elevator pitch, but you should be prepared to start a conversation in which you can point out your relevant skills and experience.