As the Illinois Tech Spring 2025 On-Campus Career Fair approaches, taking place on February 19 and 20, it’s a great opportunity for students to connect with employees from various industries. Many students may have attended career fairs before, but for the new batch of students looking forward to the career fair here are some things that you should look forward to. There will be many employees from various industries such as business, computer science, life science, and information technology. Preparation is key to making the most of this event, so here are some tips to help you stand out.
Start by registering for the career fair event through Handshake. After registration, start by researching the companies attending the career fair. You can find the list of participating employers through Handshake. Once that is done look for the companies that align with your interests, explore their website learn what jobs are open for applying, their work culture and values, interests, explore their website research what the company does. Being well informed about all this will help you to have a valuable conversation with the employees and ask specific questions when you meet recruiters, this will show your genuine interest in their organization.
Ensure that your resume is up to date and tailored to the positions you are targeting. Take few printouts beforehand. Focus on the skills, projects, and if you have prior work or internship experience. If you are unsure about your resume, take advantage of the Career Services team available at Illinois Tech for feedback and make use of VMock for any corrections in your resume and try and get a good VMock score. Also, update your Handshake profile, making sure it’s visible and professional. Recruiters often check profiles before and after the fair, so keeping yours up to date is essential.
The most important for of preparing is practicing your elevator pitch. This might be a short one-minute introduction about yourself, but it should be impactful because it’s the first impression about yourself about who you are, what your interests are, your career aspirations, and what you’re studying. Practice your pitch beforehand by practicing in front of the mirror or recording yourself, this will help you feel confident when you meet recruiters and ensure you make a strong first impression.
When it comes to attire, dressing professionally is also crucial to impress the employees. A polished appearance will definitely show recruiters you’re serious about the opportunity. If you don’t have professional clothing, Illinois Tech’s Career Clothing Closet offers free clothing for students in need, so be sure to take advantage of this resource.
The Illinois Tech Spring 2025 Career Fair offers a great chance to network and explore potential career opportunities. By researching employers, updating your resume, practicing your pitch, and dressing professionally, and make sure you attend events hosted before the career fair, so that you are well-prepared to make the most of the fair and take the next step in your professional journey.