It’s Career Fair Season!
Time to unfurl those roll-up banners, hit print on 500 copies of flyers, and dig out the giveaway merchandise that’s been collecting dust in the cardboard boxes in the storeroom.
Wait, why should I attend career fairs?
There’s no other place where you’ll be able to meet and screen such a large numbers of talented students/recent graduates in one location, in a few hours, and maybe even hire on the spot!
Career fairs are a great place to meet talent with different majors too, limited not just to ‘traditional’ candidates or candidates with a background in your industry.
You’ll also be able to see what techniques your competitors are using to attract top student talent and raise awareness of your own brand/organization.
What do I need to do before going to a career fair?
Approach career fairs in the same way as presentations. You need to make the best first impression of your organization – enough for students to want to work with you. All career fairs host a multitude of companies, ranging from super exciting to Zzzzz… So here’s what you need to consider before you walk into a career fair all boring and Zzzzz… :
- What roles do you need to fill?
- Who are your target students? What are their majors/ages?
- Register for the career fair in advance and make sure you’re happy with the placement
- Design flyers or other marketing collateral to make your booth as eye-catching as possible
- Select the right team members to attend the fairs and speak to students: they should be knowledgeable, positive, and energetic
- Collect your merchandise and giveaways – students love freebies, make sure you have something!
What should I bring?
- Flyers, signage, roll-up banners, business cards
- Giveaways! USBs, baseball caps, pens, keychains, t-shirts, bags, etc.
- Snacks to keep your tummy happy
- Laptops & chargers to collect student information
- A list of roles your company is hiring for
Career Fairs to keep on your radar this quarter:
Emirates Aviation University
Feb 15, 10:00am to 1:00pm
Student majors: Aviation Management, Management, Marketing, Accounting and Finance, HR Management, Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Air Transport Management, Mathematics. Engineering: Aeronautical, Mechanical, Software, Aviation Maintenance
Institute of Management Technology
Feb 15, 10:00am to 2:00pm
Student majors: Business/International Business, Supply Chain and Logistics Management
Zayed University
Feb 19, 10:00am to 4:00pm
Student majors: Arts and Sciences, Communication, Media Sciences, Information Technology, Business Sciences, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences
Heriot-Watt University
Feb 21, 10:30am to 3:00pm
Student majors: Business, Management, Engineering, Information Sciences, Finance and Accounting, Arts and Humanities, Architecture and Design, Supply Chain and Logistics
University of Wollongong Dubai
Feb 28, 10:00am to 4:00pm
Student majors: All
Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
March 5, 10:00am to 3:00pm
Student majors: French Literature, Philosophy and Sociology, Geography and Planning, History, Law, Economics, Management, Physics, Archeology, History of Art, Information and Communication
Rochester Institute of Technology
March 5, Time: TBD
Student majors: Engineering, Information and Technology, Information Security, Management, Marketing, Finance, International Business
Hult
March 13, 12:00pm to 6:00pm
Student majors: Business/International Business, International Marketing, Finance, Business Analytics, Disruptive Innovation
CareersUAE
March 13 to 15, 8:00am to 6:00pm
The largest career fair catering only to UAE nationals from all academic and industrial backgrounds.
Amity University
March 18 to 22, 10:00am to 4:00pm
Student majors: Law, Psychology, Hotel and Tourism, Journalism, Mass Communication, Architecture, Business, Insurance and Banking, Commerce, Art and Design, Forensic Sciences, Computer Science, Solar and Alternative Energy, Film and Television Production, Logistics, Construction Project Management. Engineering: Civil, Aerospace, Mechanical, Telecommunications
American University Sharjah
March 19, 8:00am to 5:00pm
Student majors: All
American University Dubai
March 20, Time: TBD
Student majors: All
Don’t forget to follow up with the top students/graduates that you met – make a decision and invite them for a formal interview as soon as you can.
And once the day is over, get ready to do it all over again at the next fair!
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