Ace the Career Fair
Confidence Starts Here: Get Prepared, Make Connections, Succeed
UMSL Career Services is hosting the UMSL Fall Internship & Job Fair 2026 on Friday, September 11, 2026.
These sessions will give tips on how to successfully navigate the career fair.
Register for the workshops below:
In Person: 278 MSC, Career Services Suite
Virtual Zoom:
See your confirmation email from Handshake, click Event Details to access Zoom link.
PRACTICE YOUR POWER INTRODUCTION
Create a smooth start to your conversations with employers by using your prepared “elevator pitch” introduction summarizing your professional background, skills, and interests. Watch a video on how to create an elevator pitch.LOOK THE PART
Be sure to wear professional business attire to the fair. Learn about what to wear to a career fair.
RESUME
A resume that is polished, along with your conversations with the employer is pivotal to career fair success. Career Services can assist you in creating a well-written, error-free resume. Avoid waiting until the last minute to polish your resume.
EMPLOYER RESEARCH
Utilize Handshake to view and research employers; visit their website, view peer reviews of employers, and much more. This will help you ask engaging questions when meeting with employers during the fair. Watch a video detailing how to best research employers.
In determining companies of interest, be open-minded. Do not solely concentrate on “big names” or large organizations. There are often great opportunities with companies with which you are not familiar. Explore every possible avenue.
ASK QUESTIONS AND FOLLOW-UP
The time you have with a recruiter will be brief. In closing your conversation, be sure to learn the next step and inquire how to follow up. You can use this information to follow up with a short email thanking the employer for the introduction to their organization and to initiate contact with another representative if applicable.
Do not be surprised if the employer asks you to go online to complete an application and/or submit a resume again. Due to employment laws and/or the sheer volume of resumes employers receive, applying online is quite common. For some employers, every candidate— even an internal one--must apply online.
Ace the Career Fair
Confidence Starts Here: Get Prepared, Make Connections, Succeed
UMSL Career Services is hosting the UMSL Fall Internship & Job Fair 2026 on Friday, September 11, 2026.
These sessions will give tips on how to successfully navigate the career fair.
Register for the workshops below:
In Person: 278 MSC, Career Services Suite
Virtual Zoom:
See your confirmation email from Handshake, click Event Details to access Zoom link.
Visit our Self-Serve Headshot Station
Before the fair, stop by the UMSL Career Services self-serve headshot station, in room 278 of the MSC to take a headshot using your phone. We provide a ring light and backdrop to ensure you look your best.
