Student career fair information

Attending the Ilitch School career fairs allows students to explore various career paths, connect directly with employers, and potentially secure internships or job offers, all while gaining valuable networking experience. These events are a unique chance to explore and develop your career aspirations and take them to the next level by directly engaging with potential employers.

Five reasons to attend the career fair

Explore Career Options: Discover various business industries and roles that align with your majors, interests, and skills.
Network with Employers: Build relationships with business recruiters and industry professionals, which can lead to future job opportunities.
Gain Insights: Learn what business employers are looking for, the latest industry trends, and what it takes to succeed in your chosen field.
Practice Professionalism: Enhance your interview and communication skills in a real-world setting, giving you a competitive edge.
Secure Opportunities: Many business employers conduct on-the-spot interviews or collect resumes for internships and full-time positions.

Handshake career fair registration - step-by-step instructions

Step 1 . Download the Handshake mobile app

Step 2. Register for the fair

Go into the Handshake mobile app
Go to Events.
Select the career fair you want to attend.
Click on Register.
Review the companies attending and determine with whom you would like to speak.
On the event date, go to the specified event location with copies of your resume and one saved to your phone.
Go to each table of the employers that you are interested in and give your elevator pitch to start a conversation and learn about available jobs and internships.

Know Your Elevator Pitch for any Fair!

Prepare a 30-second introduction or elevator pitch to use with employers. You don't want to sound like you are reading a script, but you do want to sound like you thought about why you are there.

An elevator pitch might sound something like, "Hello. I'm William Warrior, a senior in Management studies with an emphasis on Sports and Entertainment. My experiences include working as an intern for the Detroit Pistons, assisting with event planning and management. I'm looking for an operations-related position when I graduate this May, and I read on your website that (company name) has an entry-level position in your Facility & Operations Department, and I'm really interested in learning more about this role."

Resources for career fair success

Big Interview is a great way to practice answering employer questions. Log in to this tool with your WSU Access ID and password to formulate an introduction about yourself when approaching employers at career fairs.