Graduate and placement fairs give you the perfect opportunity to explore what direction you want to go in career-wise after you have finished university. They can also help you keep up to date with what is happening in industries you are interested in and help to line you up for potential future working opportunities.
What are University Placement Fairs?
Placement fairs are targeted at university students that are looking to partake in a work placement whilst studying. Placement years usually take place after first or second year and they are often extremely sought after by students. Placement fairs allow companies that offer placements and internship to advertise their schemes to interested students.
What are University Graduate Fairs?
Graduate fairs are usually hosted on university campuses and consist of multiple stalls and stands from various companies that offer graduate job opportunities. They give students the chance to get a taste of what line of work they want to go in to after graduation.
There is often a range of national companies that have established grad schemes looking to gather interest from potential future employees. Graduate fairs also allow local businesses to advertise roles to students that will be actively looking for jobs. With companies and businesses from a variety of industries attending graduate fairs, it gives students the opportunity to explore different potential career opportunities. Graduate fairs can be useful for students who are expected to graduate soon that will be looking to get a job in place, as well as for those looking ahead to the future.
As well as graduate fairs being an opportunity for students to get an idea for potential companies they may want to work for, there are also other useful services usually available which can help guide students during their job search. Other services that may be available at graduate fairs include the following:
- Professional career advice
- CV writing advice
- Mock interviews
- Mock assessment centre exercises
- Psychometric tests
Using these services can help prepare you for the future when you begin your job search. Graduate fairs also give you the opportunity to speak to representatives of companies that might have specific advice on how to prepare for an application or interview within their industry and company.
Tips to Prepare for University Graduate and Placement Fairs
If you know you’re going to be attending a graduate or placement fair, then it’s best to be as prepared as possible. Ensure that you have the correct time and location of the fair down so that you don’t miss it. For additional preparation, you might want to research the companies that will be attending and whether there are any special presentations taking place that you might be interested in.
Graduate & placement fairs give you the opportunity to make a strong initial impression on people working for companies that you are interested in joining. If you already have an idea of the type of career you want to go in to, or if you have a specific company in mind, it’s a good idea to prepare a list of questions to ask.
Careers fairs also give you the opportunity to network, and it can be a chance for you to build some contacts through social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. If you plan on networking but don’t have a LinkedIn profile set up, it’s a good idea to set one up in advance.
How to Find Out About Graduate and Placement Fairs in Newcastle
Both Northumbria and Newcastle University host career fairs throughout the year. Newcastle University run a 2-day recruitment and placement fair that usually takes place in autumn. They also run a ‘Get Ready to Graduate Week’ which is an event aimed at finalists seeking immediate graduate opportunities. To find out more about graduate and placement fairs at Newcastle University, you can visit their website for further details.
Northumbria University run a graduate and placements fair that usually runs around November time. In 2020, the event was split over two days – with day one being attended by companies and businesses in the Engineering, Built & Natural Environment, Technology and Science sectors. Day two focused on Business, Finance, Management, Law and Public Services. For more information on future events, it’s worth checking the Northumbria University website.
Aside from university graduate and placement fairs, there are also other job fairs you can attend throughout Newcastle. Newcastle Jobs Fair usually takes place annually at St James’ Park and is available to everyone. Although not specifically targeted at graduates or university students, there are still many companies that attend the event that offers graduate roles.
Alternatively, The UK Careers Fair is running the North East Virtual Careers Fair that will be taking place in June 202. The event will be held online and is likely to be attended by companies from a range of different industries and could be a good opportunity for any summer graduates that will be looking to get straight into a job role.
