(Old) Making the Most of the Job Fairs: Key Networking Strategies for OPT Students

Introduction

Getting a job is a top priority for OPT students and the pathway towards gaining real-life experience. However, with tough competition and uncertain economic conditions, students may struggle to find the right OPT jobs for them.

This is why job fairs and networking skills to make the most out of them are essential to maximize chances of great opportunities. In fact, 90% of universities in the U.S. host such fairs with 75 percent of U.S. employers reporting recruiting from them.

This article provides networking strategies to make the most out of job fairs as an OPT student.

What Is a Job Fair?

A job fair, which is also known as a career fair, is an event that brings together employers, recruiters, and students to match job opportunities.

Since the pandemic, there has also been the rise of virtual fairs. In the school year 2021-2022 when the pandemic was still ongoing, universities in the U.S. averaged 4.8 virtual and 2.9 in-person career fairs.

Especially for OPT students, there are Just in Time Career Fairs that are targeted towards students about to graduate for full-time opportunities.

Why Should OPT Students Visit Job fairs?

OPT students might be wondering what happens at job fairs and if it is relevant for them. Below are some of the benefits of job fairs:

Explore Job Options

Students might be unsure about what industry may be the best for them. Job fairs help to meet with recruiters and talk with them face to face to gain a deeper understanding of various industries faster.

The various OPT jobs can be explored in an informal nature in a job fair that can be an opportunity to ask relevant questions.

Land a Job or an Internship

OPT for international students is vital in gaining work opportunities post-graduation. In a job fair, students may get to show their resumes and increase their contacts to land a job.

Though there may not be an immediate interview, it can be a positive step towards building connections to land the right opportunity.

Networking Opportunities

A job fair has a relatively low-stakes setting because of which recruiters are more open to interactions and answering questions.

The event also presents an excellent opportunity to make a solid first impression. All of this is crucial in developing the networks that can lead to jobs or referrals towards other opportunities.

Develop Public Speaking Confidence

One of our biggest fears in public speaking. Yet, it is also one of the most valuable skills for our career.

At career fairs, we can polish our public speaking skills without having to pay any fees. There are many people we can talk with and demonstrate what you have to offer.

Furthermore, some job fairs also have live public speaking workshops to take part in.

Enhance Your Learning

Job fairs can help to develop industry knowledge and insights into specific companies a student might be targeting. Attendees can speak with recruiters and employers available in the event to understand better various roles' requirements and their details.

All of this learning is for free as almost all job fairs are free for entrants.

Know More About Yourself

By presenting oneself to potential employers and talking about the skills you possess, students can gain feedback on their abilities too.

For example, a recruiter might pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of a student’s resume which can help them to better understand what they need to improve within themselves.

The Importance of Networking in the Job Fairs for International Students

Since job fairs are about interactions with other people, networking skills are the most important elements for success. Some reasons why networking is important include:

Helping Build Relationships

Learning networking skills helps to build mutual understanding and rapport. This can enable engaging in meaningful conversations at job fairs. It also provides a sense of community and support in your professional field.

Opening Up Opportunities

If someone is impressed by the student’s abilities, this can lead to a potential internship or even a job.

For instance, a recruiter who enjoyed talking with a student at the job fair might keep them in mind and when there is a relevant opportunity, they might refer the student.

Gaining Industry Insights

By networking with experts, students can learn from these expert’s experiences and gain a deeper understanding of the industry they are focused on.

Additionally, networking at job fairs helps to ask specific questions to gain the knowledge you are seeking.

Effective Networking Tactics to Navigate Job Fairs

Below are some networking tips for job fairs:

1. **Understand Your Purpose:**The approach that a student takes to prepare for a job fair can differ based on your purpose. For instance, an international student might be focused on how to find OPT jobs in the USA. As a result, their focus needs to be on bringing an excellent resume that can help to land job interviews.

2. **Research Employers Who Will Attend the Job Fair:**Since many job fairs mention the featured employers ahead of time, this is crucial information for international students. Information on whether employers accept graduates on OPT and CPT help to narrow the focus on these employers. Be sure to compile a list of the employers with whom you want to speak and what questions you would ask them.

3. **Practice Your Elevator Pitch :**An elevator pitch is a short and engaging speech that introduces yourself in a job interview. Practice creating it where you focus on your personal story and what value you can deliver to employers. Additionally, make sure to honestly answer questions about your current OPT work authorization status.

4. **Dress Like You Would for a Job Interview:**Dressing appropriately matters at a job fair to create a strong first impression and also demonstrate a sense of seriousness towards landing a job. For instance, an aspiring software engineer would ideally dress more formally if they were targeting talking with recruiters in the banking industry who would all be professionally dressed.

5. **Introduce Yourself with a Handshake and an Eye Contact:**It is recommended by communication experts that a handshake and eye contact to introduce yourself can help to demonstrate confidence and belief in yourself. This can also help to stand out from other candidates.

6. Bring Several Copies of Your Resume: A common mistake students make at job fairs is not bringing multiple copies of their resume. Bring several copies to hand out to potential employers. Make sure that you have made your resume look professional along with all the essential information within it to contact you further.

7. **Follow Up on Connections via LinkedIn or Email:**Send a personalized message to the people you met in the event either via LinkedIn or Email since these are the channels that recruiters use frequently. To implement this networking tactic, make sure you request the business card or contact details of the people you meet during the job fair. For instance, a good way to follow up can be to reach out and say thanks for the chance to talk. Then, you can say how you would love to continue the conversation further. Sending a Thank You email is a highly recommended step by Indeed.

Best Platforms to Find Job Fairs

Here are some of the best platforms to find job fairs in the U.S.:

Image: Best Platforms to Find Job Fairs

Eventbrite

Eventbrite allows users to find and create events of all kinds. Many job fair organizers put details of upcoming events on this platform.

National Career Fairs

They have held more than 10,000 career fairs in the U.S and consistently organize these fairs throughout the country.

CareerEco Virtual Events

This platform is focused on virtual events with job fairs also being categorized based on undergraduate and graduate levels.

MeetUp

This social in nature platform became a great place for organizers promoting career or job fairs and a variety of professional events.

USA Jobs

USA Jobs is a government website providing information on federal jobs. They also organize job fairs time and again to recruit graduates.

10times

It is one of the world’s largest business events platforms where the events can be filtered through location, category, and industry.

Choice Career Fairs

They organize job fairs throughout the country with their focus being on connecting job aspirants with relevant decision makers.

Tech Job Fairs

For students who are interested in tech, this job fair may be perfect as they specialize in the IT sector.

Vfairs

Vfairs provides a comprehensive database of job fairs including virtual, in-person, and hybrid events that are happening around the world.

EducationUSA

EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network that assists international students in pursuing higher education in the U.S. They also provide details of relevant job fairs and conferences.

Conclusion

Career fairs can open the door to an internship or a job for OPT students. Maximizing chances of gaining opportunities through these fairs requires networking skills. The networking tactics and the platforms for job fairs can help you make progress for this.

While there are employment opportunities for international students who are graduating, it can still be challenging. This is why Algorizin exists! We assist international students to land their dream tech jobs in the US, hassle-free.

If you're looking for jobs as an international student in the U.S. who has graduated/are close to graduating, especially in the STEM field, be sure to reach out to us and apply to join our next cohort.

FAQs

An effective way to know when career fairs will take place is by visiting your school’s career services center. They have information on various career fairs and their timings too.

Most of the career fairs do not charge any entry fee for the visitors.

Main challenge for international students in the career events are:

1. Starting conversation and to carry on a small talk, which is the most common form of people connecting with each other in the U.S.
2. Explaining their immigration status without discouraging the employer.
3. Lack of networking experience due to the cultural differences. Networking is a big part of American culture. However, immigrants find it challenging as they often come from countries where it is not practiced or encouraged. When attending professional events they can naturally feel intimidated and shy.
4. Language barrier is still a big one. International students speak English as their second language and might miss some parts of the conversation due to unfamiliarity with certain expressions or phrases.
5. Pitching themselves. Pitch is pretty much up to one minute strong introduction which highlights who you’re, your professional background and strengths. It requires a lot of practice and self-confidence.

How can you overcome these challenges?

1. Practice on the less stressful ground such as social events at university or meet ups outside of it. Use open-ended questions to encourage longer responses and continue the conversation - listen attentively. Try to get out of your comfort zone by starting conversations with fellow students whom you haven’t had a chance to connect with.
2. Prepare a concise explanation of your immigration situation by first consulting it with a lawyer, international students office’s workers or even more senior colleagues who already have gone through the entire process. Write down the response with all potential follow up questions. Finally, practice it - you will respond confidently and avoid confusion. Feel free to also Emphasize your unique skills and the diverse perspectives you bring to the table as an international candidate.
3. Networking skills can be primarily improved by practicing them. There’re suggested structures which can help you get use to the process. Seek opportunities to practice in less formal settings or through university clubs and events designed for international students. Look for suitable workshops and seminars which can help you open up and build up your confidence.
4. If your English is still not on point, you might consider taking on campus classes or sessions which may be offered as part of your program. Engage with native speakers as often as possible. Utilize the abundance of free learning apps and tools which can significantly improve your vocabulary.
5. Develop a clear and concise personal pitch by exploring your own background, skills, and aspirations then writing it down. Share with more senior colleagues or industry professionals who can give you robust feedback and refine it based on their input. Next, read it and repeat it out loud as many times as it takes to become fluent. The confidence will come with practice.

A career fair is a busy event with different companies offering information on jobs available. You can see people interacting with one another, students learning more about different companies and networking.

Busy students might be wondering, how effective are job fairs? If students prepare well and attend with the right intention, career fairs can be well worth the time and effort since it leads to new connections, industry knowledge, and potential job opportunities.

To ensure students get the right Optional Practical Training job opportunities, they can follow these strategies in job fairs:

1. Highlight your skills and international experience: Mention skills like adaptability, intercultural communication, and having a diverse perspective to differentiate yourself.
2. Do prior research: Prepare in advance by demonstrating you have done research regarding the company and how you might help them.
3. Prepare an OPT specific elevator pitch: Explain your OPT status and its benefits for employers such as bringing diverse perspectives.

Some common pitfalls to avoid at a career fair include:

1. Don’t just drop your resume: Rather than aiming for quantity by just giving employers your resume, try to build meaningful conversations through networking. Ask many questions and show genuine interest.
2. **Don’t be negative:**Try to avoid giving negative comments on your past experiences or your college.
3. Don’t be intimidated: Build up your confidence to interact with the recruiters since they are there to talk with potential candidates.

As remote job fairs have been on the rise since the pandemic, OPT students can prepare for such job fairs by having resume file ready to pass to the recruiter or a hiring manager, by preparing and practicing elevator pitch as usually attendees'll have a limited time to speak to the person on the other side. In addition, make sure you have a stable internet connection, good sound and video systems along with a quite environment.

Some important things to bring to a career fair include:

• Several Resume copies
• Digital Portfolio (in case of virtual job fairs)
• Note taking tools
• Have your LinkedIn QR code generated in case recruiters wish to connect digitally
• Smile and positive attitude

Algorizin provides international students with insightful, sessions, mock interviews, and webinars with experienced industry experts from top companies along with dedicated sessions on networking and effective job hunting. We also provide dedicated job-hunt support streamlining the job search process.