What Attracts a Student to a Career Fair Booth?

It’s the company representative and how approachable that person appears. For employers using career fairs to identify potential new hires and/or interns, the company rep is key.

More than 40 percent of nearly 33,500 students responding to questions posed in the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Student Survey cited the “approachability” of the company rep as the factor that determines why they choose to visit a booth.

The second most important factor—trailing significantly—also involves the company rep: 18.5 percent of students said the availability of a company rep is what makes them select a booth to visit.

Recognizing the organization (15.3 percent) and choosing booths to visit in advance of the fair (13.6 percent) fell third and fourth. The booth’s appearance (6.5 percent) and the giveaways (4.5 percent) fell at the bottom.

NACE’s 2009 Student Survey was conducted from February 19 through April 30, 2009; more than 35,000 students from more than 840 colleges and universities nationwide—including more than 16,500 graduating seniors—participated. The survey report will be available in the fall.