Attending a careers fair is a great idea for anyone looking to do some research into what kind of field they are considering entering. Whether it’s a University course, a job or an apprenticeship, careers fairs are a mutually beneficial way for both employers and job-seekers to find the right fit for them.

Careers fairs can be used and attended by a whole range of people, from graduates and school leavers looking for their next step, to those still in education who are thinking ahead to the future. Some of the main reasons to attend a careers fair include:

See a Range of Options All in One Place

Careers fairs are pretty much the only time you are going to get the provide the opportunity to explore all different kinds of jobs and apprenticeships side by side in one room. It saves the trouble of you seeking out employers in your own time and makes the process of comparing what’s on offer much easier. If you aren’t sure what you want to do next, and don’t know where to look, careers fairs do the hard work for you; you can simply wander round and explore all the options presented to you.

Discover Jobs, Employers and Schemes You Didn’t Even Know Were Out There

One great thing about attending a careers fair is that you are presented with all kinds of opportunities that you might not have known about just from conducting your own research. Careers fairs tend to bring in a whole range of innovative and unique employers who might be offering something which matches your skillset perfectly. It’s easy to stick to your comfort zone and only take an interest in jobs and courses that you’re familiar with, maybe because a member of your family or someone you know works in that area.

However there are a whole variety of jobs out there which might suit you much better and attending a careers fair can bring these to your attention and encourage you to try new things.

Meeting People Face to Face

At a careers fair, you get the chance to talk to the people who run the apprenticeships or work for the company that you are interested in. You can introduce yourself and hear from them in person about what it’s like to work there, getting a better feel for the company and meeting the faces behind the name.

This might become very useful if you end up applying and eventually working for that employer as you’ve already got a head start in getting to know people. Similarly, careers fairs can help you meet other young people who are interested in the same jobs and courses that you are. You may even end up working and studying with some of them.

Free to Ask Your Own Questions

When searching for apprenticeships and jobs online, you rarely get the opportunity to ask your own questions, whereas at a careers fair you are encouraged to ask questions tailored to your personal experiences. Examples of this could be telling an employer what subjects you are studying and asking if they are the right ones to get onto their course, or you might ask what work experience should you be getting to would help when applying for a particular type of apprenticeship.

Careers fairs give you the space and time to ask about information that might have been missed from their website and get detailed personal responses from their employees.