10 tips for McMaster University’s Fall Career Fair

Fall Career Fair is McMaster University’s largest career event of the year, featuring 110+ employers all in one place. This year, the fair will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in DBAC Sport Hall, with opportunities for full-time, part-time, paid internship, co-op and summer jobs.
September 12, 2019

By: Teresa Finelli

Originally published in the The Silhouette

Fall Career Fair is McMaster University’s largest career event of the year, featuring 110+ employers all in one place. This year, the fair will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in DBAC Sport Hall, with opportunities for full-time, part-time, paid internship, co-op and summer jobs.

  1. Research the companies that are attending the fair. Consider which companies seem the most interesting or relevant to your career plan.
  2. Prepare some questions that you can ask each employer. This will help you make the most of each conversation.
  3. Visit the Student Success Centre’s drop-in hours (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) to have an advisor critique your resume. Remember, it’s better to bring too many copies of your resume than to run out!
  4. Create and practice an elevator pitch that includes who you are and highlights your skills and career goals. The goal of this pitch is to convince hiring managers — in a brief amount of time — that you would be an asset to their organization.
  5. Attend one of the Student Success Centre’s workshops to learn how to successfully connect with hiring managers. Go to OSCARplus and select the SSC events and workshops calendar to register.
  6. Dress for success. Your clothing should be clean and without any slogans or rips.
  7. At the fair, be courteous and respectful of others’ conversations.
  8. Visit the career fair advisor booth if you need help at the fair. We have experts who are ready to meet with you and discuss your career goals.
  9. Take your time when talking to company representatives. This will help you establish a personal connection.
  10. Send thank-you notes to each employer you have connected with at the event. This is a simple courtesy that will show employers that you are genuinely interested in their organization.

There’s a great career waiting for you. Thanks to the Fall Career Fair, it’s easier to find than you might think. Visit us for more information.

Good luck!

A special thank you to this year’s sponsors: JNE Group Of Companies (gold sponsor); Parker Hannifin Canada (silver sponsor); ArcelorMittal Dofasco (bronze sponsor); EMCO Corporation (bronze sponsor); Imperial (bronze sponsor); and, Oracle (bronze sponsor).