September 21, 2018 - Hellene Meyer
You may have seen the signs around campus or had someone come into your class to let you know that the University of Windsor’s Fair Week coming up this week.
Featuring a Graduate and Professional Schools Fair, the Lancers Care Volunteer Fair, the Student Health Services’ Health Information Fair, and finally the Part-Time Job Fair, this will be a jampacked week full of opportunity for all students in attendance.
Not sure if you should still go, though? Here are seven reasons that Fair Week can help you right now and with your future career, too!
1. Discover New Opportunities
Fairs are a wonderful chance to discover and explore the vast opportunities available to you. At the fair, you can find jobs and volunteer positions that you never thought existed and talk to a wide variety of employers, volunteers, experts, and more.
2. Start Networking
Fairs are an excellent way to network and meet new people who may have future opportunities for you, even if they may not have any at the time. Always make sure to show interest and take their card so you can remember their name and contact information. Try and write some details about your interaction on the back of the card so that the next time you contact them, you can make a good impression and carry on where you left off.
3. Talk with Knowledgeable People
When you’re at the fair, you can work on your communication experience. It may not be something you can put on your resume quite yet, but it is a great place to practice talking to a variety of people who are knowledgeable in different fields, while learning new things at the same time! Becoming comfortable talking to new people and holding different kinds of conversations is instrumental in building strong networking skills.
4. Test Out Your Elevator Pitch
Particularly at the Part-Time Job Fair, you can practice delivering your elevator pitch to potential employers and building confidence in expressing your career goals. Job Fairs can be a safe space to test how comfortable you are with job searching and career-minded environments, even if you’re not quite ready to find a job at that exact moment. The worst that can happen is a mildly awkward encounter, and the best is that you could walk out with a new contact, and potentially a job!
5. Graduate and Professional Schools Fair – Plan your next steps here
The Graduate and Professional School Fair on the first day (September 24th) from 11am-2pm should be one of your first steps toward planning what you’ll do after your graduation if you’re considering further education. This is the event to attend as representatives from Canadian and international educational institutions will be there to promote their schools’ various programs.
6. Volunteer Fair – Learn how you can help your community!
Learn how you can help your community, gain valuable experience, and beef up your resume at the same time! On the second day (September 25th) from 11am to 2pm, the Lancers Care Volunteer Fair will be held in the CAW Commons and will feature a variety of volunteer opportunities local to Windsor and Essex County. This is your chance to make valuable connections, find new ways of helping out your community, and gain some more experience, so dress appropriately and bring extra copies of your resume.
7. Part-Time Job Fair – Keep your resume fresh and filled with experience!
Knock the rust off your resume with some part-time job experience and show employers you’re keen on keeping your resume fresh. The Part-Time Job Fair is being held on the last day of Fair Week (September 27th) from 11am to 2pm and it’s an excellent opportunity to network and find part-time job opportunities. Whether you want to make some extra money or gain experience, this is a great place to start. Make sure you’re dressed to impress employers and that you have copies of your resume, as first impressions are key!
Fair Week begins on September 24th and runs until the 27th, with each event located in the CAW Commons area. With all these great reasons, you can’t not go to Fair Week.