Good Questions to Ask Employers at a Career Fair (& the Reasons Behind Them)

Don’t just go with the obvious questions but try to find out about new products or markets that they’re involved with so you can ask about those. Alternatively, research what’s going on more widely in their industry so that you can ask relevant and insightful questions on new developments.

Ask for their most positive experience with the company

Ask employees on the stand what’s been their most positive experience of working for the company. Lots of people will ask about what they like best about their employer but by being more specific and asking for their most positive experience you’re less likely to get a bland answer.

Similarly asking what’s been the most challenging experience that they’ve faced will give you a far better idea of what it’s really like to work there.

Ask for real examples of career progression pathways.

Questioning about career development opportunities is always a good idea but again be specific. Ask for details of the career path that they’ve taken themselves to test out if the reality matches up to the promises that organizations will often make in relation to the training opportunities.

Ask what they think sets their company out from the competition

This is a good way to get a feel for the values and culture based on what they see as the company’s defining characteristics. This will help you get a better feel for whether they’re a good fit for you and whether you could see yourself happily working within the organization.

Finish by asking for contact details

Finish by asking if you can contact them again if you have further questions and ask for a business card. That way you can establish a point of contact within the company.

Careers fairs offer one of those rare instances—the chance to grill a potential employer on the makeup of their company, the jobs on offer and their firm’s ethos, and all free from the trappings and tribulations of a job interview.

This is one of the most attractive reasons to attend a career fair and one of the best uses of your time once you get there. Where else can you speak to a potential employer face-to-face and ask direct questions that could enhance your chances of landing your ideal role? Use this window of opportunity wisely.

Start by gaining an understanding of exactly what they do
Gauge if it’s a possible fit in terms of the type of position you’re looking for. Not only will this give you an immediate impression of their operation, but it’ll also inform what happens next. If you like what you hear, ask about the type of vacancies they have available and get into some of the nitty-gritty around compensation and company culture.

You have nothing to lose by asking what kind of company they are to work for
Nor should you shy away from finding out what they believe sets them apart from their industry competitors. These are often questions reserved for the interview stage, but gaining this knowledge needn’t wait for such a formal setting.

The earlier you can ascertain the positives and negatives of working for a particular company, the quicker you can rank their suitability.

Always enquire about hiring procedures
These can be procedures such as how long you can expect to wait beyond any deadline before finding out if you’ve landed an interview. This isn’t something you’ll always get an answer to at a later date, but by asking face-to-face the onus is on the recruiter.

Related: How Long Does It Take to Hear Back From a Job Application

If your interest is genuine, make sure you’re crystal clear about the next steps. If you’re leaving a copy of your resume behind, don’t walk away without a timeframe in return.

For an Employer, a career fair is intense, because so many people want to see you all at the same time

With that in mind, it is important to understand that your “face time” will be short. Basically they want to move you in and move you out as quickly as possible because of all of the other people that are in line. Remember, for them, this goes on all day.

With such short “face time“ it is important to preplan your questions (that may change from Employer to Employer). If possible, go with an open position that you qualify and have already applied for.

Bring copies of your correspondence/resume and be sure to follow their lead. If they are in a hurry, you may only get 1 question that you get to ask. If your time is short, be sure to hand them off when you meet the HR rep.

Be sure to smile, have a warm handshake and be ready to share your 30-second elevator commercial. Have a warm handshake and be ready to share your 30-second elevator pitch. From there:

What else would you like to know about me?

Be sure to follow their lead. If they are in a hurry, your 30-second commercial may be the only question you get to answer. Don’t get upset. Smile and thank them, ending with: “You will hear from me shortly.” (You have just given yourself permission to call them, not wait for them to call you.)

Related: How to Follow up on a Job Application

Find out who the recruiter is that is responsible for filling the position you are most interested in
If their booth is not crowded, and there is not a tremendous line behind you, this may be an opportunity to begin to establish rapport.

Which company recruiter is handling the position that we are discussing? Are they here today, and would you be willing to introduce me to them?

Many times, at career fairs, multiple people from HR cover the booth. If you can find out who the recruiter is that is responsible for filling the position you are most interested in, you are ten steps ahead of the game. That’s because, when you follow up for the position, you will know who to ask for.

Ask about unknown facts about the organization
What is something people may not know about your organization?

Hearing this question tells me that the person is very interested in learning about the organization. It enables me to be more open about the organization that is not usually part of a normal pitch.

Hearing that someone wants to learn more in-depth information about an organization is great to hear from a candidate.

Ask about the benefits of working for this organization
What do you enjoy about working for your organization?

This question allows me as a recruiter to expand on the benefits of working for this organization. I want to be able to talk about the positives and about how this could be a positive for new employees.

This question also leads to a discussion on what you as an applicant are looking for and can expect, and what we look for as an organization.

Ask what you can bring or contribute to the organization
How can what I studied be an asset to your organization?

Knowing what you can bring to an organization is a positive sign. The key is wanting to know if your skills and competencies are a fit to the organization. This shows a recruiter that as an interested person you want to know if it’s truly a match and you will be valued for your skills in this organization.

Ask about the company’s view of the future
What excites you about the future of your organization?

This question will let the recruiter know that you are interested in being part of an organization for the long term. I would think that you want to be part of an organization that is growing and forward-thinking. This question also allows the recruiter to talk about the exciting plans for the future.

Ask about employee development opportunities
What type of employee development options are offered?

Asking about employee development will show me that you are interested in growing your skills and competencies. It also tells me that you want to be part of an organization that values you and your professional growth. More organizations are making this a priority and this question will help you see if this organization is one of them.