Counseling and Career Center

Q: What should I bring to a career fair?

A: You should bring several copies of a good resume and, where appropriate, any other materials that you think will help to define you in terms of employer needs and requirements.

Q: How should I dress?

A: While there is no "standard dress" code for BYU career fairs, the following guidelines are recommended as a minimum:

• Collared shirts for men; blouses or shirts for women.
• Slacks or cottons for men; skirts or nice pants for women.
• No flip-flops or open-toed sandals.
• Grooming and accessories in accordance with BYU standards.

But if you want to make a genuine impression with employers, dress as you would for a formal interview!

Q: How do I "work" a career fair?

A: Dress appropriately, have good copies of your resume with you, be prepared to ask questions that show you've done your research, and show real interest and genuine enthusiasm. Get there early if you can.

Q: What are the main criticisms employers have of BYU students?

A: Without question, the most common fault of BYU students is that they have not done sufficient research on the company and what the company expects of an employee. Other criticisms include inappropriate dress, poor presentation skills, lack of energy, and lack of interest in the employer's products or services.

Q: What student class years should attend?

A: Students from all class years should plan to attend BYU career fairs. These are excellent opportunities to begin networking and career focus efforts. But come with good, well-researched questions and some knowledge of the employer's products and services.

Q: How can I find out what employers will attend the career fair?

A: Go to our web site, http://careerfair.byu.edu , and look under the section for students. Then click "See who is coming to the next career fair". That will show a complete listing of all employers who have registered, their website, location, industry, and a brief employer profile (perhaps including the majors, skills, and qualifications the employer seeks).

Q: I don't see many employers who want to hire people with my emphasis. What good would it do me to go to the career fair?

A: Be sure to check the employer profiles/descriptions under "See who is coming to the next career fair" (above). Don't hesitate to go to the career fair and ask about future job opportunities with that employer. It's true that employers are often looking for specific careers, but you could even ask if they would take your resume back to the home office and get it into human resources or personnel hiring channels for future possibilities. Or perhaps the career fair recruiter might have the name, phone, email, etc., of an appropriate contact in another division or department of the company.