Fall 2012 Business Career Fair

All students are invited to attend the Sam M. Walton College of Business Career Fair!
Business casual dress at a minimum is required to attend. 

What is the Business Career Fair?

The Walton College Business Career Fair is one of the most exciting events on-campus! The Business Career Fair is a one-day event where numerous employers provide information about job and internship opportunities with their companies, while visiting with interested and curious students. Each employer/organization will have a booth or display table, and may share company literature with you, as well as company branded giveaways. Employer representatives meet with students to answer questions, as well as ask questions about your interests. A career fair is a convenient way for employers and potential employees to meet.

Date, Location & Time:

September 25, 2012
11:00am to 3:00pm
Willard J. Walker Hall

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Who can attend the Business Career Fair? 
  All students can attend the Business Career Fair. All classes, all majors and alums are welcome.
• How should I dress for the Business Career Fair? 
  Business casual dress, at a minimum, is required to attend the Business Career Fair. Click here for examples of business casual and business professional dress.
• What should I bring to the Business Career Fair?
  Bring resumes to the fair and offer your resume to employers. Not all employers are willing to take your resume at the Business Career Fair. You may encounter employers who will accept your resume, and/or ask you to submit your resume in Razorback CareerLink, and/or ask you to submit your resume through their company websites. Bring numerous copies of your resume to the fair to give to the 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 or attend the Extreme Makeover - Resume Edition sessions in September. Resumes will not be revised within 72 hours of the Business Career Fair. So, don't wait until the last minute to prepare this important document.

How to Prepare for the Business Career Fair: 

• Do Some Research
  Find out which companies or organizations are attending the event. A list of Business Career Fair attendees is available here. The list will be updated weekly until the fair. 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 Razorback CareerLink 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
  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 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.

• Watch Vault.com's "How to Prepare for a Career Fair" short video.

The Business Career Fair 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.

For more information on preparing for career fairs, please review the following articles:

• Four Steps to Career Fair Success
• Making Career Fairs Work for You
• Connect at the Career Fair