Duke Career Center Career Fair Preparation Collection

1) Self-Reflection
• Reflect on your skills, interests, experiences, and knowledge
• Check the Career Center website for a list of employers attending:
studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/events
• Access Duke Career Connections for up-to-date job/internship posts
and information: careerconnections.duke.edu
• Prioritize a list of employers based on your interests
• Update and tailor your resume
• Carry a padfolio, folder, or organizer for your resume and collecting
business cards
• Present your best professional self (e.g. wear appropriate attire,
avoid strong scents, cover or remove facial piercings, cover tattoos,
offer a firm handshake)
• Prepare thoughtful employer-specific questions
2) Employer Research
What to Research:
• Services/products
• Revenue
• Customers
• Company culture and news
• Competitors
• Rankings
• Industry trends
• Duke alumni
• Training programs
• Information that you find important in determining whether an
employer’s opportunities would work for you
Where to Research
http://studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/online-tools-resources
• Company website and social media like LinkedIn
• CareerConnections: careerconnections.duke.edu
• CareerBeam — review industry guides like Hoovers
• Duke Library Job & Career Research Guide — view “Company and
Industry Research” tab
• Professional publications (e.g. Forbes)
• Duke Connect (Duke Alumni Database) to reach out to alums/
professionals for Informational Interviews
3) Connect Your Skills and Experiences to
Those Sought by Employers
• Analyze what skills and experiences the employer or industry seeks
from your company research
• Write down how you match those qualifications
• Brainstorm how you will tailor your introduction and which skills
or experiences you will choose to discuss with
each employer
• Consider whether or not your skills align with the
employer’s needs
Career Center
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • (919) 660-1050 •
Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor • 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708
1.Engage in self-reflection.
2.Conduct employer research.
3.Connect your skills and
experiences to those
sought by employers.
4.Create your introduction
and questions.
5.Practice and participate .
To review the different
types of career fairs
at Duke, see
Events & Programs
5 Steps to Prepare for
Career Fairs

Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 •
Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor • 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708
5 Steps to Prepare for Career Fairs (cont.)
4) Create an Introduction and Questions ga
Introduction (30-Second Commercial)
Please refer to “Meeting an Employer at a Career Fair” handout
• Use this opportunity to introduce yourself and provide a short
synopsis of your skills and experience with the goal of getting
employers to ask you for more information
• Take time to engage an employer in a conversation so you can learn
more about the company
• Show connection between your skills/experience and the company’s
goals.
Questions for Employers
Please refer to “an Employer at a Career Fair” handout
Ask intentional, relevant questions that show you have done your
research
• What qualities have made past candidates successful in this
<interesting position>?
• I saw on your website that your company is involved in <interesting
new initiative>. What impact do you expect that having on your
company in the next few years?
• I notice that your posted positions include <particular jobs>. How
might I connect with someone in your company about my interest
and skills in
<a different type of job>?
5) Practice and Participate
Engaging Employers at the Fair
• Be aware of non-verbal communication, e.g. walk confidently with
good posture, make good eye contact
• Shake hands with employers (if offered)
• Use your introduction, tailored to employer, to begin conversation;
listen carefully
• Smile and show your enthusiasm
• Some employers might ask for your resume
• Ask for a business card from the employer before leaving
• Determine next step in the process
• Say “Thank You” as you conclude conversation
• Jot down notes on conversation for later reference
After the Fair
• Send thank you notes or email employers with whom you had strong
rapport and connection (24-48 hours post event)
• Indicate your appreciation for their time/advice and include
interesting information from your conversation
• Share steps you may have taken since talking
When You Apply
1.Engage in self-reflection.
2.Conduct employer
research.
3.Connect your skills and
experiences to those
sought by employers.
4.Create your introduction
and questions.
5.Practice and participate .

Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 • Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor •
114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708
Career
Fair

Preparation

Presenter’s
Name

Date

Agenda

•  Understand
career
fair
customs,
procedures,

and
a2endees

•  Prepare
for
career
fair
by
self-‐reﬂec9ng
on
skills

and
experiences
and
conduc9ng
employer

research

•  Relate
your
experiences
and
skills
to
those

sought
by
employers
at
career
fairs

•  Create
an
introduc9on
and
employer
ques9ons

for
the
career
fair

Career
Fairs

•  What
are
career
fairs?

– Purpose:
explore
companies,
industries,

internships;
network
with
employers
and
alumni

– Types
include
live
(Fall
Career
Fair,
North
Carolina

Master's
&
Ph.D.
Fair,
Just
in
Time
Fair),
virtual,

TechConnect,
symposiums,
Duke
Entertainment

Media
Arts
Network
(DEMAN)
Weekend

•  Who
aKends
career
fairs?

– Students,
employers,
alumni,
Career
Center
staﬀ

What
do
career
fairs
look
like?

Career
Fairs

•  What
do
I
wear?

– Business
formal
OR
whatever
the
company’s

culture
reﬂects

•  Sugges?ons

– Just
because
a
type
of
job
is
not
listed,
does
not

mean
an
opportunity
does
not
exist

– Manage
your
?me
well
and
have
a
visit
strategy

– Give
a
good
handshake

Career
Fairs

Five
Steps
to
Preparing
for
Career
Fairs

1.  Self-‐reﬂec8on

2.  Employer
research

3.  Relate
your
skills
and
experiences
to
those

sought
by
employers

4.  Create
introduc8on
and
ques8ons

5.  Prac8ce

Self-‐Re'lection

•  What
is
self-‐reﬂec/on?

•  Why
is
self-‐reﬂec/on
important
to
you
and

employers?

•  What
is
a
professional
story?

Activity
#1
–
Self
Re0lection

Handout
–
Resume.Maria

•  What
kind
of
internship
or
job
interests
you
most
(e.g.

marke8ng,
electrical
engineering,
medicine,
music)?

•  Based
on
that
role
circle
skills,
relevant
experiences,
and

values
you
see
reﬂected
on
your
resume.

•  What
insight
can
you
glean?

–  What
does
your
role
tend
to
be
in
class
projects
or
at
internships?

–  What
tasks
do
you
gravitate
towards?

–  What
posi8ve
feedback
have
you
received
from
faculty/peers/
supervisors?

–  What
are
you
most
proud
of
on
your
resume?

STAR
Method

•  Situa%on

•  Task

•  Ac%on

•  Result

As
a
summer
media
intern
at
Non-‐Proﬁt
X,
I
created

and
implemented
a
social
media
strategy
including

Facebook
and
Instagram
to
share
client
stories
and
the

organiza?on’s
dona?on
goals;
by
the
end
of
the

summer
there
were
over
500
“friends”
and
“followers”

and
dona?ons
had
gone
up
10%
over
last
summer.

Activity
#2
–
How
to
Tell
your

Professional
Stories
to
Employers

Handout
-‐
STAR

•  Use
the
STAR
method
to
write
one
evidenced

based
story,
reﬂec9ng
your
skills/strengths/
experiences
that
relate
to
what
employers

seek
in
new
hires

Activity
#3
-‐
Create
Introduction

and
Questions
to
use
at
Career
Fair

Handout
–
Meeting
an
Employer
at
a
Career
Fair

•  Based
on
your
self-‐reﬂec1on,
employer

research,
and
employer/applicant
ac1vity

results,
write
an
introduc1on
and
two
strong

and
relevant
ques1ons
to
ask
an
employer
at

the
next
career
fair.

– Tips
for
introduc1on:

•  Approximately
1-‐2
minutes

•  Share
name,
relevant
skills/values/interests,
and
how

they
make
you
a
good
ﬁt
for
the
employer’s
company


Activity
#3
-‐
Create
Introduction

and
Questions
to
use
at
Career
Fair

Continued…

•  Prac%ce
with
a
partner
and
assess
the
following

– How
is
their
handshake?

– Do
they
speak
clearly?

– Is
their
intro
concise
and
show
connec8ons

between
their
skills/experiences
and
those
sought

by
employers?

– Do
they
smile
and
have
good
eye
contact?

– Do
they
seem
conﬁdent
and
comfortable?

Activity
#4
–
Employer
Research

•  Review
list
of
employers
a1ending
upcoming
career

fair;
pick
one
company
that
excites
you.

•  Use
company’s
website
and
CareerConnec@ons
to

ﬁnd
open
posi@ons,
values,
mission,
culture.

First
Impressions
are
Important

Employer
advice
tweets
from
2015
Duke
Career
Fair

•  "Prepare
ques+ons
ahead
of
+me
and
have
a
posi+ve
a4tude.
Keep
an

open
mind.”
@Capital1campus

•  “Tell
the
employer
what
your
degree
is
and
what
your
experience
can
do

for
them."
@GEcareers

•  "Be
well-‐versed
about
a
project
you
have
worked
on.
Show
ini+a+ve.

Highlight
your
work
experience
and
communicate
it."
@ebayupinc

•  "Ask
thoughIul
ques+ons.
Ar+culate
what
you're
thinking
about
and
what

you’re
passionate
about."
Consumer
Financial
Protec8on
Bureau

•  "Be
engaged.
Know
one
fact
about
the
company
before
you
come
by.

Show
interest
in
the
company.
And
be
yourself.
We
are
gauging

personali+es."
@busch_jobs


Employer
Research

•  Why
is
employer
research
important?

•  Employer
Research
Resources

– Na6onal
Associa6on
of
Colleges
and
Employers

survey

– CareerConnec6ons

– CareerBeam

– DukeConnect
or
LinkedIn
for
informa6onal

interviews

Activity
#5
–
Relating
your
Skills

and
Experiences
to
those
Sought

by
Employers

Handout
–
Employer-‐Applicant
Activity

•  ACTIVITY:
Employer/Applicant
worksheet
–

– Based
on
your
research,
create
a
list
of
skills
and

experiences
the
employer/industry
seeks
–
write

these
on
the
“employer”
side

– On
the
“applicant”
side
write
experiences
you

have
that
match
what
the
employer
seeks

In
Conclusion

Five
Steps
to
Preparing
for
Career
Fairs

1.  Self-‐reﬂec8on

2.  Employer
research

3.  Relate
your
skills
and
experiences
to
those

sought
by
employers

4.  Create
introduc8on
and
ques8ons

5.  Prac8ce

Next
Steps

•  Get
prepared
for
the
next
fair!

– Review
employers
a7ending
upcoming
career
fair

and
compile
a
list
of
3-‐5
to
visit

– Edit
and
ﬁnalize
your
introducAon
and
pracAce;

complete
research
and
compile
a
list
of
5-‐10

strong
quesAons
to
ask
at
fair

– Update
your
resume

•  Please
complete
your
evaluaAons!

•  NEXT
FAIR:
(ﬁll
this
in)

Contact
Us

(919)
660-‐1050

h+p://studentaﬀairs.duke.edu/career

Facebook.com/DukeCareers

Twi+er.com/DukeCareers

Maria
Moreno
Sample

919.555.1212

|

mmsample@email.com

|

www.linkedin.com/moreno443

Education

Duke
University

|

May
2017

Bachelor
of
Science,
Computer
Science

Bachelor
of
Arts,
English

Certificate
in
Markets
&
Management

GPA:
3.4

Technical
Skills

Programming
Languages:
Ruby,
Python,
C#

Database:
MySQL

Software:
MATLAB,
Adobe
Photoshop,
After
Effects,

Adobe
Illustrator

Marketing
&
Web
Design
Experience

Marketing
Analytics
Intern

|
Super-‐Cool
Start
Up

|

Memphis,
TN

|

Summer
2015

• Collect
and
analyze
customer
demographics,
preferences,
and
purchasing
habits
to
identify
potential
markets

and
factors
affecting
product
demand

• Gather
data
on
competitors
and
review
their
prices,
promotions,
and
methods
of
marketing
distribution

• Devise
methods
for
collecting
data
through
surveys,
opinion
polls,
and
questionnaires,
as
well
as
obtain

consumer
data
via
relevant
databases

Graphic
Artist/Web
Designer

|

Information
Security
Center

|

Collierville,
TN

|

Summer
2014

• Developed
concepts,
designs,
and
sample
webpage
layouts
for
3
nonprofit
organizations;
maintained
each

website’s
coding

• Built
interactive
features
and
created
a
database
organization
system
to
collect
form
data

• Provided
advice
regarding
graphic
design
and
page
layout
of
currently
existing
webpages

Writing
&
Publication
Experience

Reporter

|

The
Chronicle

|

Durham,
NC

|

September
2013-‐Present

• Research
a
story’s
background
information
to
provide
accurate
material
that
captures
the
scope
and
impact
of

breaking
news
on
Duke
University’s
campus

• Revise
content
based
on
editorial
feedback
and
adjust
stories
for
online
and
mobile
formats;
reached
up
to
3500

page
views
daily

Volunteer

|

Read
&
Feed

|

Apex,
NC

|

August
2013-‐Present

• Write
and
produce
a
twice-‐monthly
newsletter
aimed
at
donors
and
potential
nonprofit
partners
to
inform
them

of
the
center’s
progress,
the
number
of
clients
served,
and
ways
to
get
involved

• Interview
staff
and
clients
for
developing
columns
and
commentaries;
communicate
personal
experiences

through
persuasive,
engaging
reporting

Projects

Digital
Systems
Course

|

Duke
University

|

Durham,
NC

|

Spring
2015

• Implemented
a
system
using
only
3
materials
to
create
a
processor
to
replicate
a
popular,
multiplayer,
8-‐bit

video
game

• Part
of
team
that
earned
highest
marks
on
the
project,
and
selected
as
first
in
the
class
for
anticipating
angles,

developing
responsive
speed
controls,
and
programming
a
point
limit

Campus
Involvement

Marketing
Chair

|

Chi
Omega
Sorority

|
Durham,
NC

|

January
2014-‐December
2014

• Create
awareness
of
philanthropic
milestones
and
academic
achievement
through
directing
banner
creation,

alumni
communication,
and
reporting
to
campus
offices

Recruitment
Committee

|

Chi
Omega
Sorority

|
Durham,
NC

|

January
2013-‐December
2013

• Organized
informational
materials
for
recruitment
sessions
of
200+
attendees;
collected
information
on

potential
new
members

SAMPLE
FOR
CAREER
FAIR
PREPARATION
WORKHSOP

**DO
NOT
COPY**

Meeting an Employer at a
Career Fair
Elevator Pitch Examples
Writing/Publishing/Editing Example:
Hi, I’m Maria Sample. I’ll be graduating in
the spring with a double major in English
and Computer Science. I’m very excited to
talk with you about opportunities at <media
organization>; I was so impressed and inspired
by the way <media organization> covered
<current news story> last year; I especially liked
the multimedia components on your website
detailing events via photo essays and interactive
timelines. As a reporter at the student-run daily
newspaper here at Duke, I try to combine strong
writing with engaging media – I think it makes
for a stronger story. I saw your organization is
hiring for a reporter and copy editor; to what
extent, and how often, do these roles interact
with the web team? [Example for speaking to an
alum or recruiter]
Leadership Development Program Example:
Hello, Ms. Recruiter, my name is Maria
Sample and I will graduate in May 2017 with
a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and
English. I read that your company is looking to
hire ambitious students into your management
trainee program. I have been heavily involved
on campus and served in several leadership
roles through my sorority. My recent internship
working in marketing has equipped me with a
skill set that will contribute to the success of
your company. What have you seen successful
candidates for the leadership development
program (LDP) communicate as it relates to
their experience? [Example for speaking to an
alum or recruiter]
Questions to Ask at a Career
Fair
• I was able to glean a lot of information about
the culture of your organization through your
website and from talking to a couple of others
who have experience at your company. How have
you found the culture to be evident within your
team? [Alum/Recruiter]
• I read in the <trade publication> that your
company is involved in <interesting new
initiative>. What impact do you expect that
having on your company in the next few years?
[Alum/Recruiter]
• Last year, when <technology> was launched at
your company, I was inspired to create a similar
tool during my spare time, just for fun. I learned
a lot during this process of creating and sharing
my work, especially how important it is to be
able to communicate the purpose of your project
effectively to others. In your experience, what
do you think is most challenging in creating and
then launching a new product? [Alum]
• When you are reviewing candidates’ resumes,
what student organizations or extracurricular
activities excite you the most? [Alum/Recruiter]
• What types of professional development
opportunities should I pursue now that would
prepare me well for this industry? [Alum/
Recruiter]
• I submitted my resume online yesterday. As
I reviewed the next steps, I noticed that <your
company> be on campus soon. Would you share
what the steps are following the on-campus
interview? [Recruiter]

The STAR Method
STAR is formula for creating your best response to
behavioral-based questions. Interviewers expect you to
present your thoughts and experience in this manner. Don’t
worry, however. You’ll see that the STAR method is no
different than the basics of any story composition.
“Last semester I took a psychology course
that required a group project to examine
motivation. The professor assigned each
student to a 4-person group. My group
decided to look at what motivates college
students to participate in community
service activities.”
Question:
Tell me about a time when you had to provide difficult
feedback to a team member?
“As a group, we developed a plan
to distribute the work between us.
However, after the first few weeks, it
became apparent that one of our team
members was not completing her part
of the project and she missed one of our
group meetings. The rest of the team
decided that we needed to reengage her.”
“I took the initiative to set up a meeting
with her where we discussed our interest
in the project as well as the other
academic responsibilities. After talking
with her, it was clear that if we changed
her contributions to tasks that better fit
her skills and interests, she would most
likely contribute at a higher level.”
“It turned out that the team could
redistribute tasks without compromising
so every member got to work on the
pieces of the project that were of
most interest to them. In the end, we
completed the project and received
positive feedback from our professor.”
S
T
A
R
Situation
Set the scenario for
your example.
Task
Describe the specific
challenge or task that
relates to the question.
Action
Talk about the actions
that you took to
accomplish the task.
Result
Present the results
that followed because
of the chosen action.
A strong STAR
response will last
one to two
minutes.
Be brief in your
set-up. Give just
enough
background or
contextual
information for
your story to make
sense.
The result is
critical.
Everything in your
example builds
towards this
component.
Use the structure
of the acronym for
direction if you
forget what you
were saying. If all
else fails, skil to the
R, result.
A few
important
tips:

Organizing Your Experience
Skill,
Experience or
Characteristic
Name of
Story
Situation Task Action Result
Leadership
Ability to
Work in Teams
Analytical
Skills
Adaptability
Apply the STAR Method by using this chart to recall specific experiences that will better
support your responses in an interview.

Employer - Applicant Activity
Under “Employer” write down the skills, experiences, and values the employer seeks in an
applicant. Under “Applicant” write down the specific skills and experiences you have that match
the needs of your preferred industry. Think about soft skills (e.g. teamwork, communication,
leadership), technical skills, and relevant experiences.
Employer Applicant
_____________________________________________

Duke Career Center Career Fair Preparation Collection

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