Students’ perspectives on attending the Career Fairs

Meet Tyler, Awangku, and Anna, three students who have conquered the Career Fairs.
Meet Tyler, Awangku, and Anna, three students who have conquered the Career Fairs.

With our Fall Career Fairs underway, students have various reasons for attending a fair.

“I attended my first career fair so I could progressively start looking for future jobs in my field,” said Tyler, a senior engineering student. This fall’s STEM fair was his fourth time attending a career fair.

“I went for my global studies class because it was required,” said Anna, a junior. “I’m grateful though, because it was a helpful experience. I was really grateful to interact with professionals who have succeeded in the fields I want to succeed in.”

To prepare for each fair, Tyler meets with a Career Services advisor or peer guide to critique his resume and suggest improvements. He also visits Husker Hire Link to see which employers will be attending the career fairs.

Awangku, an engineering major, did not go into his first career fair as prepared.

“I had little to no knowledge on how to apply for a job, or how to even begin searching for the right career path for me. The companies that were there were really helpful; they gave me a little more insight of what they are looking for in students that are applying for a position within their company.”

Both Awangku and Anna said that learning the expectations that the companies have for college graduates helped them feel more confident for what comes after college.

“I think it also helped me narrow down what I would and wouldn’t want to do in the future,” Anna added.

Tyler said attending a career fair is the best opportunity to visually be able to see yourself working at each company that you talk to in a one-on-one setting.

“A career fair mentally prepares you and gets you excited for what to expect when freshly out of college as a young professional- there’s nothing that compares to it other than an actual job interview itself,” said Tyler.

Awangku wants other students to know that the career fair is not just for students who are ready to apply for a job.

“Now that I know what I need to be prepared for, I am ready to go to the next career fair and actually begin applying for jobs. Overall, attending my first career fair was great exposure for me to the professional world.”

Tyler, Awangku, and Anna each said they would recommend to the career fairs to other students.

“It was a really beneficial experience. Plus the free headshot was great for my LinkedIn profile!” Anna added with a wink.

Help your students prepare for career fairs and beyond by referring them to the Career Services office, located in 225 NE Union to meet 1:1 with an advisor. Advisors are available for walk-in sessions or by appointment to work with your student to develop strategies that fit their unique goals.