skip navigation

What is the Business Career Fair Express?

The Business Career Fair Express is a blend of a traditional Career Fair and a Networking Event. Numerous employers will provide information about job and internship opportunities with their companies, while visiting with interested and curious students. Each employer/organization will have a small table set up where you can talk to recruiters to learn more about their organization and express your interest in a position with their company. The Business Career Fair Express is an exciting new way for employers and potential employees to meet!

The Business Career Fair Express will be held in the East Indoor Club of Reynolds Razorback Stadium. This exciting venue provides a panoramic view of the Razorback football field. You will have the opportunity to move throughout the event and network with various employers while overlooking the football field.

 

 

Transportation from the Harmon Parking Deck to the Reynolds Razorback stadium and back will be provided by Dynasty LimoBus Service from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. Enjoy a short, relaxing ride to the Business Career Fair Express in style!

 

Date, Location & Time:

February 23, 2010
10:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Reynolds Razorback Stadium - East Indoor Club
     - Attendees should enter at gate 15 and take the elevator to the third level.

 

Who Can Attend?

  • All students can attend the Business Career Fair Express. All classes, all majors and alums are welcome.

 

How to Dress for the Business Career Fair Express:

  • Business casual dress, at a minimum, is required to attend the Business Career Fair Express. Click here for examples of business casual and business professional dress.

 

Handing Out Your Resume:

Bring resumes to the event and offer your resume to employers. Not all employers are willing to take your resume at the Business Career Fair Express. You may encounter employers who will accept your resume, and/or ask you to submit your resume in Experience (formerly eRecruiting), and/or ask you to submit your resume through their company websites.

  • Bring numerous copies of your resume to the event to give to employers you are interested in, but make sure you ask the company representative what the best way is for your resume to circulate within their organization. Follow the company representative's advice about resume dissemination. 
  • Now is the ideal time to write or polish up your resume and the Walton College Career Center can help! Drop your resume off at our office (WJWH 226) for a revision. Resumes will not be revised within 72 hours of the Business Career Fair Express. So, don't wait until the last minute to prepare this important document!
  • You can also bring your resume to Extreme Makeover: Resume Edition on Tuesday, February 16 from 9-11am and 1-3pm, or Wednesday, February 17 from 9-11am. Stop by the second floor entrance of the Walton College of Business for a quick revision by a resume expert!

 

Career Fair Preparation:

You should prepare for the Business Career Fair Express the same way you would prepare for a traditional Career Fair:

  • Do Some Research
    Find out which companies or organizations are attending the event. A list of Business Career Fair Express attendees will be available online in January. Review the list 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 Experience to see if they have any job or internship postings.
        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?

  • Plan Your Introduction
    Develop a thirty-second introduction, including:
       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?)
    You will need to make the most of a limited amount of time, so practice saying it out loud until it flows easily and confidently.

  • Make a Strategic Plan for the Event
    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 also good to talk to. You need to practice networking - the ability to network is the most critical job search skill in the new economy!

  • Approaching Company Representatives
    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, and describe how your background and education can contribute to their needs.

  • Collect Business Cards
    If company representatives have them, collect business cards and make notes on the back to remind you of your conversation. Use this to jog your memory when writing a follow-up email letters to the employers that interest you.

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

  • Other Career Event Tips
       Observe other students and employers interact. Watch for tips.
       Be respectful of the representative's time.
       Be confident, not aggressive.
       Dress appropriately! Dress as you would for a professional job interview.

The Business Career Fair Express is sponsored by the Walton College Career Center, the Center for Retailing Excellence, the Information Technology Research Institute and the Supply Chain Management Research Center.

For more information on upcoming Business Career Fairs, contact the Walton College Career Center.

© 2009 Sam M. Walton College of Business · University of Arkansas · All rights reserved.
301 Business Building, Fayetteville, AR 72701, (479) 575-5949