Preparing for career fairs and beyond with Business Career Services
Every year, Business Career Services (BCS) hosts the Business Career Fair and Accounting Career Fair. The 2023 Accounting Career Fair will be Sept. 15 and the 2023 Business Career Fair will be Sept. 22.
Both career fairs host employers and recruiters who are looking to hire Jayhawks for internships and jobs. This is a great opportunity for Business Jayhawks to network with recruiters and make meaningful connections with employers for future careers.
“Our Accounting Career Fair and Business Career Fair provide an opportunity for networking and building contacts, a way to search and gain an internship or job, and a forum for professional development,” said Cicily Corder, senior career advisor. “We bring in over 100 employers that are seeking our Business Jayhawks because they see the value in hiring our students.”
Make an impression with employers by updating and sharing a resume, wearing the correct outfit and preparing what to say to employers before heading to the career fairs.
Updating your resume
Prepare your resume keeping a career focus in mind. Make sure to include current education, degree(s), minors, certificates and club involvements. Highlight any work or internship experience, especially those that are related to your specific career field.
It’s also important to highlight relevant skills from previous coursework, projects and/or internships. You should tailor those skills to your career focus. It is helpful to use the job description of a job relevant to your career focus as an outline.
Students should use BCS as a resource to review their resume. In addition, students should upload their resume through the Career Fair Plus app, along with creating a candidate profile, before attending the career fair.
Questions to ask employers
After the employer’s pitch, it can be helpful to ask the recruiters questions about the role and the company. Asking questions helps to show interest and helps to stand out among other candidates.
Some questions to ask include:
- What would a typical day for me look like in this role?
- What are the biggest challenges I might face in this position?
- What skills are you looking for with a new hire?
- How would you describe the company’s values?
- What are the company’s plans for growth and development?
What to wear
Consider the company’s dress code when thinking about interview attire. Most companies attending the career fair will expect business professional. This style is appropriate for interviews and other formal events.
Typically, business professional attire calls for jackets and blazers with matching pants or skirts. A button-up collared shirt and tie combination is appropriate, or a blazer set with a tailored, conservative shirt. Conservative dresses are also appropriate. It is recommended to stick with neutral colors. Shoes that are closed-toed, including heels and flats, are regarded as professional shoe wear.
If business professional attire isn’t accessible, students can wear business casual attire. Business casual allows for brighter colors and patterns, but it’s best to keep it as professional as possible.
Try to avoid wearing blue jeans, T-shirts, athletic wear, short dresses/skirts and sneakers. Think of clothes you would wear to an office or to a professional meeting.
Where to get clothing
Department stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, Nordstrom and others sell a variety of business professional and business casual clothing. Target and H&M sell cheaper business attire.
Students looking for business attire at a free or reduced cost should check out the Professional Clothing Closet at the University Career Center (UCC), located in 206 Summerfield Hall.
Secondhand stores, such as thrift stores and consignment shops, are also cheaper options for business attire. Some stores give out student discounts if you show a student ID.
LinkedIn headshots
Each career fair has a photo booth for students to get free professional headshots for LinkedIn. The UCC also hosts a professional headshot photobooth every second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 2:30–4:30 p.m. in 206 Summerfield Hall.
The Accounting Career Fair will be located in the Burge Union. The Business Career Fair will be located on the 4th and 5th floors of the Kansas Union.
Whether this is your first career fair or fourth, BCS has all the resources you need to land an internship or job. Explore resources ranging from mock interviews to learning how to negotiate your salary and learn more about the upcoming career fairs and get step-by-step prep tips on the BCS website.
By Lauren Hartwig
