All U of A students and alumni are invited to attend.

Business casual dress at a minimum is highly recommended, and business professional is preferred for both in-person and video chatting. View examples.

Bring your U of A student ID and have it ready at the door for check-in. We will not have a student backpack check available at this fall's business career fair, and employers are not giving away free merchandise as in the past. 

Walton Career Services is working to ensure the safety of all faculty, staff, students, and employers at our in-person career fair. Look for more details from our team in the weeks leading up to the fair to receive the most updated information.Please note that we are not allowing companies to have giveaways/merchandise for students to take at the fair, and students are not to share physical copies of résumés. We are working on a solution that allows a touchless exchange of information between students and employers (more information coming soon). Student backpack check will also not be available at the Fall 2021 Business Career Fair.

Masks will be required of everyone, and we encourage everyone to wash hands regularly, attempt to maintain a physical distance from others, and avoid shaking hands. Restrooms and hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the concourse at the event.

If you are experiencing or have been exposed to any symptoms of illness in the days prior to the fair, we ask that you not attend the in-person career fair on September 28. Our Virtual Business Career Fair will be hosted on October 5, 2021 and is a wonderful option for connecting with students/employers in an online setting.

Additional campus career fairs are hosted by the University Career Development Center.

Find out which companies or organizations are attending the event. Review the list of attendees and decide: Who are you most interested in talking to? What do you want to know about them and their industry? Who haven't you heard of before? Look up those companies you are unfamiliar with and read about them.

Once you've determined the companies you are most interested in meeting, you should: take a few minutes to check out their web sites and see what kind of work they are doing; login to Handshake to see if they have any job or internship postings; and research what others have to say about them.

Other factors to consider include: Does their work interest you? Are they in a state of growth? Do they offer training and professional development opportunities?

After researching the attendees, you should develop a list of the top companies you want to visit with and plan to approach them first during the fair. Some 'big name' companies will have crowds around them all day. You will have to be observant to find a time when you can talk to them. Keep in mind that even employers who offer work that doesn't fit into your career goals are good to talk to. You need to practice networking - the ability to network is a critical job search skill!

Don't sit back and wait to be approached! Introduce yourself. Shake hands and make good eye contact. If you are unsure how your education fits with the employer's specific needs, ask open-ended questions such as: What qualities are you looking for in employees? Do you offer internships or specialized training?

Career events are very busy times for the employer. Be prepared to succinctly demonstrate your knowledge of the company, express enthusiasm in what they do, describe how your background and education can contribute to their needs, and be respectful of the representative's time.

Some employers will be conducting interviews the day of or soon after the Business Career Fair. If they are impressed with you and your skills/experiences, they may ask you to visit with them during the event for an official interview. Consider brushing up on your interview skills before attending the fair.

You will need to make the most of a limited amount of time, so develop a thirty-second introduction with the following information, and practice saying it out loud until it flows easily and confidently: your name, what you do (your major, most impressive skills and accomplishments), and what your career interests are (Are you seeking an internship or a full-time position? When?).

Make a good impression! Regardless of the extent to which technology makes it easier and faster to share information between job seekers and employers, nothing replaces in-person contact for making an impression. This is your opportunity to be evaluated on more than just your resume; you have an opportunity to stand out in person in a way that you might not on your resume. Interpersonal skills, communication skills and work-place-appropriate social skills are critical. Many employers evaluate these skills heavily, because they want to hire people who can make a good impression on their clients and customers.

Be confident, not aggressive.

Bring enough copies of your résumé to give to each employer on your list, plus at least 20% extra for any others you may visit with.

Be prepared that some employers will not accept hard copy résumés and will ask you to apply online. This does not mean the employer is giving you the brush-off. The employer is likely taking note of candidates in whom they are interested, but must follow certain procedures to comply with their company's policies. Make sure you ask the company representative what the best way is for your résumé to circulate within their organization. You may encounter employers who will accept your résumé, and/or ask you to submit your résumé in Handshake, and/or ask you to submit your résumé through their company websites. Follow the company representative's advice about résumé dissemination.

Collect business cards and make notes on the back to remind you of your conversation with various recruiters. Use this to jog your memory when writing a follow-up email letters to the employers that interest you.

Send a thank-you letter to the representatives you wish to remain in contact with. This will set the stage for future correspondence.

Dress as you would for a professional job interview.