Advantages of job fairs and recruiting events:

- Self-presentation as an applicant, both in general for companies and for specific positions.

- Many companies on site enable comparison.

- Networking with relevant companies.

- Make first contacts.

- Receive information about career entry, trainee positions, etc.

- Casual practice of interview situations.

- Get to know company representatives to get business cards for later applications.

Recruiting events have the advantage over job fairs that you often have scheduled, binding one-on-one meetings and can already talk about specific open positions that might be interesting. These events take place in a smaller group with a limited number of companies and selected students and graduates.

Deciding which type of event to attend should depend on your goals. Before you decide on an event, you should clarify the following questions for yourself:

- Are you looking for an internship or a position for your thesis?

- Do you want to practise contacting company representatives?

- Or do you already want to take concrete steps towards starting a career?

- Which vacancies in companies are interesting and relevant for you?

If you clearly define your goals, you can search more specifically for the right event.

Find the right event for your career entry:

Before you decide on a job fair or recruiting event, you should find out what you want to achieve at the event. You can achieve both with a successful self-presentation in stand interviews or one-on-one interviews, but not every event offers both possibilities. A decisive criterion is, of course, which companies are participating in the respective event. You can find information about their fields of activity and especially about entry-level opportunities and vacancies in advance on the websites of the companies and organisers. Another no less important criterion for choosing the right event is which company representatives from which departments will be there. Here it depends on your personal goals: If you want to specifically advance your career entry or the next step in your career, you should make sure that company representatives from the HR and specialist departments take part in the event. Talking to representatives from the departments that are relevant to you can provide you with comprehensive information and use the conversation effectively for your self-presentation. Other criteria for choosing the right job fair or recruiting event can be the additional offers provided by the organisers. Often there is a career-oriented supporting programme that can also include coaching, training or other services on the topic of job applications. Here are a few tips for you on how you can make a good impression at recruiting events and make a successful appearance at fairs in general:

For a successful self-presentation, you should consider in advance:

How and with what goals in mind do you want to approach companies?

After you have clearly defined your motivation and goals, you should think about how you want to proceed practically at the event. Think about how you want to present yourself and convey your message to the people you are talking to. Plan how you want to structure your conversations and what information you want to share, but also what information you want to receive for yourself.

Prepare your documents and CV

Prepare application folders for your visit to a job fair or recruiting event. You should have an up-to-date CV ready to hand over at a company's stand to underline your interest and make sure that the person you are talking to remembers you.

What else do you want to achieve at the fair?

Plan enough time to talk to the companies on site that are interesting and relevant for you. Remember that you also have the opportunity to introduce yourself to companies that have not been in your focus so far. However, it is crucial that you present yourself convincingly and with interest. You should present your motivation, your interest and your qualifications plausible. It is often worthwhile to introduce yourself to companies that are not necessarily active in your field, as this can open up opportunities for lateral entry.

The convincing self-presentation

After the extensive preparation, it's time to visit the job fair or recruiting event. In order to make the most of the event, you should think about your journey, appearance and clothing in advance.

Sensible travel planning

Allow enough time for your journey to the venue. You should have enough time to take advantage of the event without stress, especially if there are scheduled talks or workshops. Unpunctuality leaves a bad impression.

Choose appropriate clothing

At a company contact fair on the Unicampus, casual everyday clothing is fine, especially when it comes to first contact with companies and topics such as internships or working student jobs. Make sure you are well dressed. However, if you are already actively looking for a (timely) career entry, you should adapt your clothing accordingly and be dressed a little more smartly. The 'business look' shows your interest and seriousness towards your interviewer. Make sure that your shoes match your outfit and are well maintained. If possible, avoid backpacks and shoulder bags in combination with suits or costumes as well as large bags with advertising material. Carry your application folders and documents in a handy document folder.

Appearance at the stand and conducting interviews

In the stand interview or one-on-one interview, you leave the company representatives with an important first impression of you. They can already get a comprehensive picture of you during this first meeting:

- How confident is your appearance?

- What motivation and qualifications do you have?

- Why are you interested in the company?

Careful preparation can help you to be convincing at the stand interview. Avoid simply listing points from your CV. Present your motivation and your interest with concrete examples. Show that you have dealt with the company and why you are seeking the interview. In the stand-up interview you can not only collect information, but also gain an important impression of how the company appears and how the company works. It is advisable to go to the stands alone and not in groups in order to get the full attention of the interviewer and to give a successful self-presentation. At the same time, you are expected to listen attentively.

After the job fair is before the interview

Summarise the impressions and results of the interviews immediately in writing, ideally on the spot. The follow-up is crucial and can be important for subsequent interviews. Make a note of the names and positions of your contact persons in the company if you have not received any business cards. After a successful contact, you can apply directly to this contact person with reference to the previous interview with complete documents. However, clarify beforehand which form of application the company prefers. Write your application promptly to underline your serious interest. Due to the personal contact at the event, you can follow up directly with your contact person after some time and find out about the status of your application.