To make the most out of and increase your confidence at a career fair, preparation is key. Part of this includes updating your resume to give to employers of interest during the event.
Make sure your contact info is accurate
List only one phone number and one email address that you check daily. In advance of the career fair, ensure that your voicemail message is professional and that there is space in your inbox. Get in the habit of clearing out your email inbox (including your junk mail!) so messages from recruiters don’t get missed.
Consider adding an objective statement or profile
When your resume isn’t directly attached to an application, you want to be sure your reader understands your goals at the end of the day. For this reason, it can be helpful to have an objective statement noting what kind of opportunity you’re seeking in what kind of industry. When the recruiter goes through their stack of resumes at the end of the day, they’ll remember what you were seeking. Alternatively, a profile section allows you to highlight top skills, knowledge, and experience you offer right at the top of your resume. Our Effective Resume Writing Guide offers examples that include each of these sections.
Update projects, relevant courses, and experiences, even if they’re still in progress
Demonstrating how you’re used your knowledge and skills in classes or other experiences helps your reader understand what responsibilities you’re likely ready to take on in their job, internship, or co-op. To do this most effectively, visit Handshake to see what employers are attending the fair, make a target list of who you plan to talk to, and review what jobs they currently have posted.
The job descriptions will tell you what knowledge, skills, and experience the employer cares about most, and you can use this to determine what you highlight on your resume. Includes researching what organizations you plan to connect with and what roles they have available. If you’re interested in a few different kinds of industries or jobs, it’s worthwhile to develop different versions of your resume for each, swapping out the most relevant projects, courses, skills, etc. A software developer and data analyst require different skillsets, so the same resume won’t stand out well for both of these.
It’s fully appropriate to list projects, relevant courses, and experiences that are still in progress. Relevant courses can be listed in the Education section, and at the fair you can explain what you’ve learned so far and what you anticipate learning throughout the rest of the semester. For projects and experiences, include bullets on your resume describing what you’ve done so far, as this can show how you’re developing critical skills. Be prepared at the fair to discuss what your intended next steps are and what you ultimately hope to achieve when the project or experience is complete.
Print enough copies, plus some extras
In the days before the career fair, print enough copies of your resume for all the employers you intend to meet with, plus a few extras just in case you’re able to have some additional conversations. While the employers will likely encourage you to apply for positions online, leaving them with a hard copy of your resume will allow them easy access to your contact info and remind them where they met you. Try not to wait until the day of the fair to print your documents to avoid the potential stress of dealing with a printer that is out of order or other technical issues.
Upload your updated resume to Handshake
Many employers will encourage you to apply to their roles through Handshake. By updating your resume here in advance, you’ll can be most efficient in following through with that direction. Further, employers can use Handshake to find candidates, and having an updated resume available makes you more likely to show up in a recruiter’s search.
Thinking you could use some resume support in advance of the next career fair you’ll attend? Visit us during drop-in hours to have your questions answered or for guidance in getting started!
