Before the fair
- 1Get the list of attending companies in advance and research the 5-8 you're most interested in
- 2Note one or two specific, current details about each priority company (a product, initiative or news item)
- 3Prepare a 30-second elevator pitch — a condensed version of "tell me about yourself"
- 4Print 15-20 copies of your resume on quality paper, even in a mostly digital hiring world
- 5Plan your outfit — business casual is a safe default unless stated otherwise
Building your 30-second elevator pitch
Sample elevator pitch
"Hi, I'm [name], a final-year Computer Science student focused on backend development. I've built two projects using Node and PostgreSQL, including one deployed and used by my college's event management team. I'm looking for a backend developer role, and I saw you're expanding your platform team — I'd love to hear more about it."
At the fair itself
At the fair itself
- Visit priority companies earlier rather than later, when recruiters are freshest and lines are shorter
- Ask one specific, researched question rather than "tell me about your company"
- Get the recruiter's name and, if possible, a business card or LinkedIn connection
- Take brief notes right after each conversation — you'll forget details faster than you expect
- Don't skip smaller or less familiar companies — they're often less crowded and more likely to remember you
Quick comparison
| Weak opening line | Stronger alternative |
|---|---|
| "What does your company do?" | "I read that you recently launched [X] — how has that changed the team's priorities?" |
| "Are you hiring?" | "I'm looking for [specific role] — what does your current hiring need look like for that?" |
| "Can I give you my resume?" | A brief pitch first, then offering the resume as a natural next step |
After the fair — the step most people skip
Follow up with each recruiter you connected with within 48 hours, referencing something specific from your conversation. This single step meaningfully separates candidates who get remembered from the many who don't, since recruiters speak with dozens of people over a single fair.
Make sure the resume you're handing out is genuinely ATS- and recruiter-ready before the fair.
Check Your ATS Score
