How to navigate a career fair like a pro

Before you start: Know who you're talking to

Understand their role before you pitch yourself, to ensure you're saying the right things and asking the right questions. A recruiter might know zero about how the company works with, e.g., DevOps principles, while an engineer can tell you everything about the tech stack but might not know hiring timelines.

Good questions to ask

The best conversations start with curiosity, not rehearsed elevator pitches. Here are some questions that actually lead somewhere:

• What does a usual day look like for you?
• What technologies do you use?
• What advice would you give me to get into the X area?

And psst. Listen first, pitch later. That way, you can embed what they've said into your pitch and show you were actually paying attention.

Don't downplay yourself

It's not necessary to bring up the amount of years you've been studying. If the company representative says "We're not recruiting before you're in year X," ask - "What should I do to make sure I am qualified when I get there?"

And psst: don't call yourself "junior." Leave it up to them to define what they're looking for. You might be pleasantly surprised.

The follow-up is where the magic happens

• Ask to get connected with them on LinkedIn. But don't forget to write an intro with your connection request, like "Happy to have been discussing X with you at [Career fair]. Would love to connect here." Click on the three dots to find the option.

• Is it a company that you really find interesting but no open roles at the moment? Don't forget to ask about how their usual "recruitment year" works.
• Companies often post that they attended a career fair afterwards on social media - perfect if you forgot to connect with somebody or want to do the "post-work" reaching out afterwards.

Bonus tips

• Always take a full round first just checking out all booths, so you make sure you don't miss a company just because you hadn't heard about them before.
• Don't forget that the companies have - literally - paid to be standing there to meet you. Don't be shy with asking questions or just coming up to them to chat.
• Always do some post-work. Reach out to recruiters (even those who weren't there representing the company) afterwards and thank them for attending, and that you found the company interesting. Ask them for intros to the tech departments if you want a better understanding of how they actually work, maybe even go on a study visit, or just stay on the radar for when an opportunity arises.