This article will help you get your bearings and better understand how to prepare. All the ideas in this article are drawn from a student-led panel of upperclassmen from Fall 2024, held ahead of the Fall Career Fair. The advice comes from students who have experienced career fairs themselves. 

Career exploration 

At its core, a career fair is an opportunity to explore the types of careers that exist and learn which companies might allow you to pursue those paths. It is completely okay if you are not yet looking for an internship or job; for many first-year students, the goal is simply to learn and get exposure. This can feel quite different from how some students approach career fairs, where the experience can feel more like a test between you and the recruiters. 

There is an element of evaluation happening, but it is not a one-way street. Recruiters may be evaluating you as a potential candidate, and you are also evaluating a few important things. 

First, you can evaluate the kind of work a company does and decide whether that work is of interest to you. This is a valuable opportunity to learn more about the types of jobs that could be a good fit in the future. Reflect on the technical skills and expertise needed for the role and other aspects that might sound appealing, such as collaborating with others to accomplish shared goals. 

Second, think about the company itself. Are there elements that sound appealing or concerning? Consider factors like the company’s location or what day-to-day work might look like. Are you able to learn about workplace culture or employee policies that stand out to you? Even if you do not pursue opportunities with this organization, taking note of these elements can be helpful for future decision making. Learning what does and does not appeal to you is still a successful outcome of attending a career fair, even if no immediate applications or offers result. 

Do some light research 

One helpful step before attending a career fair is to research which companies and organizations will be in attendance, keeping in mind that this research does not need to take much time. You can usually find a list of participating employers on the event’s webpage. From there, try selecting at least five companies that seem interesting to you. 

Spend a bit of time learning about those organizations and reflecting on what stands out, as well as what you would like to learn more about during the fair. You do not need to know everything about a company but having a basic understanding of the work they do and any prominent projects can go a long way. 

This preparation can help you feel more confident during conversations and signal to recruiters that you took the time to learn about their organization. 

Practicing skills 

Beyond exploration, career fairs are also a great space to practice important career skills. 

Most notably, they provide multiple opportunities to practice your elevator pitch (click here for more information on what an elevator pitch is and how to prepare one). These practice runs can serve as building blocks for how you talk about yourself in many different contexts, not just with employers. 

For example, the same skills can be useful when applying to do research in a lab or when networking and meeting new people around campus or at a conference. Each interaction helps you refine how you present your strengths and adapt your message to different audiences. Try to think of these conversations as low-stakes opportunities to experiment with phrasing and notice what resonates. 

And remember that recruiters are ready to hear pitches of all levels of preparedness! A pitch that you find awkward is just a normal part of the day for a recruiter, so don’t stress it too much. 

Flexible elevator pitch 

When it comes to elevator pitches, it can be helpful not to think of them as a script you must deliver the same way every time. Instead, think of your pitch as a flexible starting point that can change depending on who you are speaking with. 

This mindset allows you to be more responsive during conversations rather than feeling locked into a version of your pitch that may not fit every interaction. One useful strategy is to identify a few experiences or classes you might draw from and then choose which ones to highlight based on the flow of the conversation. 

Let questions do the heavy lifting 

After sharing your elevator pitch, it is common to wonder what to say next. For many students, this moment can feel awkward. 

A reliable next step is to ask the recruiter a question. You might ask about internship opportunities for first-year students or what typical day-to-day responsibilities look like. 

You can also take a more exploratory approach by asking questions that help you learn about the company or industry more broadly. Examples include questions like, “What kinds of projects or initiatives is the team most excited about right now?” or “What skills or qualities tend to help someone thrive in your organization?” 

These types of questions help you gather information that can inform your future decisions and keep the conversation moving naturally.  

Even better, you can just reuse questions (or think of similar ones) to use with the different employers present. There is no need to reinvent the wheel for every booth; keep it easy on yourself! 

Professional but comfortable 

An often overlooked but frequently mentioned tip is to dress comfortably. Career fair days can be long, and you may find yourself on your feet and talking with many employers in a short period of time. Wearing shoes and clothing that support this can make a big difference. 

At the same time, aim to strike a balance between looking professional and feeling like yourself. If you do not typically wear a suit or dress, you do not need to force yourself into one for this occasion. A helpful rule of thumb is to follow business casual guidelines, which offer flexibility while still presenting a professional appearance (click here for a business casual guide). 

Reflection 

Once the career fair is over, there is still one final step: reflection. While it can be tempting to move on quickly from a career fair, especially if it felt stressful, taking time to reflect can help you learn from the experience and feel more prepared for future events. 

For example, think about how your elevator pitch landed in conversations. Were there parts that felt unclear or needed more explanation? Did you find yourself providing too much background information at certain points? 

You can also reflect on your overall approach to the fair. Were there elements of your preparation that were particularly useful? Did you choose the right number of companies to speak with? These are just a few prompts to get you started. The most important part of reflection is approaching the experience with curiosity and using it as a learning opportunity. Growth will come over time in this area, and these practice opportunities go a long way to make it happen. 

Closing thoughts 

Career fairs can be a little intimidating, especially if it’s your first one. Feeling uncomfortable is totally normal, and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. The main goal isn’t to have everything figured out; it’s really about showing up, trying things, and learning as you go. 

For first-year students, success might just mean having a few conversations, asking some questions, and leaving with a better idea of what interests you. Those small steps matter and will make future career fairs feel easier. 

Think of each fair as just one part of a bigger process. Confidence and clarity come with practice and reflection over time, not from getting it perfect the first time. 

If you need help on the day of the career fair, stop by the CAPD booth and ask for advice! We’re happy to help. If you want assistance leading up to the career fair, consider connecting with CAPD to talk about finding companies to speak to, or honing your elevator pitch.  

Looking to learn more about moving into industry? See the Industry Bound Career Series page for PhDs and Postdocs!

It was wonderful to witness so many students, alumni, and postdocs engaging with top companies and exploring exciting career opportunities. CAPD extends a big thank you to everyone who facilitated the fair, and also to those who directed students to this event so that they could explore career options and learn more about opportunities for both internships and full-time employment.  

Employers were grouped into 10 industry clusters (view a full list at the bottom of the article), but employer diversity was not only evident in the industry clusters. There was also a mix of large international corporations and innovative startups. It was especially inspiring to see many successful MIT alumni return to recruit for their thriving businesses, highlighting the strength of the MIT community and its legacy. 

While the Fall Career Fair is an exciting highlight, it’s just one of many ways for students to explore careers and find internships or full-time opportunities. The CAPD team — both career advisors and Employer Relations staff — are always here to support students’ and postdocs’ professional journeys.  

Please continue to encourage students and postdocs to reach out, schedule sessions with advisors, check out job opportunities on Handshake, and stay connected with CAPD all year round! 

2024 industry clusters: 

• Aerospace, Defense, and Transportation 

• Chemical Manufacturing, Materials, and Supply Chain 

• Computer Science 

• Data Analytics, Consulting, Finance, Investment, and Trading 

• Design, Engineering, and Research 

• Energy & Environment 

• Government, Non-Profit, and Social Impact 

• Hardware, Robotics, and Software 

• Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, and Sciences 

• Media, Marketing, Humanities, and Creative Careers 

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – MIT community members value workplaces that are inclusive and welcoming of people from varying backgrounds, viewpoints, experiences, and ideas. In preparation for interviewing, employers should prepare their recruiters to engage with students and postdocs from different cultures and nationalities. Diversity training can help recruiters be more inclusive and improve communication throughout the search process. 
• Respecting Identity – Developing a good relationship with potential hires means appreciating how they want to be addressed. This could be relative to how they pronounce their name or preferred pronouns (she/her, he/him, they). If you mistakenly use the wrong pronoun, acknowledge it and try to use the correct one in the future. Look at the Best Practices: Respectful Pronoun Use in Recruitment offered by the University of Arkansas for suggested wording when interviewing. 
• Gender-based Assumptions – Inappropriate recruiting practices can manifest in various ways that reinforce gender stereotypes and create hostile environments. Employers are encouraged to examine their biases and avoid stereotyping roles based on gender. In addition, we caution employers against commenting on a candidate’s appearance, attire, or physical attributes, which is considered unprofessional. 
• Illegal Interview Questions – Employers should focus on asking questions about the skills, experience, and qualifications required for the job.  In general, illegal questions relate to a candidate’s race, gender, age, religion, marital status, nationality, or disability and are irrelevant to the candidate’s ability to perform the job. Examples of inappropriate questions:
  • Age or Family Status: How old are you? Are you planning to start a family soon?
  • Gender and Sexual Orientation: Do you identify as male or female? What is your sexual orientation?
  • Race, Ethnicity, or National Origin: What is your race? What is your native language? 
  • Religion or Political Affiliation: What religion do you practice, or holidays do you observe? Which political party do you support?
• Fair Hiring Practices—Employers should aim to use inclusive language in job descriptions to encourage all candidates to apply regardless of gender. Further, pay equity is critical to counter gender pay equity when developing compensation packages and salary offers. Employers should also be prepared and open to women and men negotiating job offers. 
• Alcohol-Free Recruiting—Creating opportunities to get to know potential hires over dinner or networking events can help find someone who is the right fit for a role and your organization. However, we caution employers from having alcohol at recruiting events as many MIT candidates are outside the legal drinking age (21 years) in the United States. In addition, alcohol can sometimes undermine the professional tone of an event or exclude individuals who do not drink alcohol for personal reasons. 

Additional Resources

• CAPD Recruiting Guidelines
• U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission https://www.eeoc.gov/ – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. The EEOC website provides details on the laws and regulations that candidates in the U.S. are accustomed. 
• National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) – NACE is the leading source of information on the employment of the college-educated, and forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks starting salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks. View the Professional Standards for University Relations & Recruiting to learn more about the landscape of college recruiting.

If you have questions or would like to discuss interviewing at MIT, please see our webpage about scheduling interviews, and/ or email hiremit@mit.edu to meet with a member of the Employer Relations team.

The fair will take place on an academic holiday and is the largest annual recruiting event open to all MIT undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and recent alumni, as well as students at Harvard. Network and connect with employers across industries!

Visit the FCF website for more information on how to register and prepare, and to learn about our special label initiatives.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Fall Career Fair! If you have any questions, please email cfairs@mit.edu.

The following recommendations were developed by the Environmental Solutions Initiative at MIT

How to ask questions:

• Think in advance about what you would like to learn from the recruiter. Then create a list of questions that you would like to ask, keeping in mind the time allotted for your conversation.
• Think of your list of questions as a guide to the conversation, not a fixed list that you must get through. Better to actively listen and to respond to the answers of the interviewee than to stick to your list.
• Listen, listen, and listen. Expect to spend at least 80% of the time listening, not talking.
• Be mindful of time. It’s helpful to give the person a heads up a few minutes before the end of the time. Sometimes they will want to keep talking, but let them decide.
• Be thankful. Be transparent in letting them know that you are grateful for this opportunity.
• Be respectful. Your goal is not to grill or to judge the person with whom you are speaking, but rather to fill in your own knowledge gaps.

What questions to ask any company or organization:

Quick(er) openers– theoretically these could be yes or no answers, but better if not. Try to use these as a jumping off point to open up a broader discussion. Note two common acronyms: ESG = Environmental, Social and Governance, and CSR = Corporate Social Responsibility.

Does your company or organization…

• … have relevant credentials, building certifications, or memberships in the area of sustainability (such as B-Corp, LEED, FSC, a member of the Science Based Targets Initiative or RE100, etc.)?
• … build products or deliver services that are good for the environment?
• … have sustainability-related goals and/or targets? If so, are they publicly available?
• … publish an annual impact report (sometimes called an ESG report or CSR report) that updates stakeholders on its progress towards its sustainability-related goals?
• … track its carbon footprint? If so, is it transparent about publicly disclosing its data (such as submitting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (aka the CDP), publishing in an annual impact report, or other)?
• … have a ranking by any ESG rating agencies (such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), Sustainalytics, FTSE4Good, Oekom, etc.)
• …publicly support policies and politics at the local, state and national levels that are focused on driving rapid decarbonization in line with the Paris Accords?
• … work with manufacturers in its supply chain to help them move towards decarbonization

Dialogue starters– after starting with broader questions, move on to more in-depth ones.

• What does sustainability mean at your company or organization?
• How would you describe the perception of sustainability at your company or organization?
• How much value does your company or organization place on sustainability?
• How does sustainability fit into your company or organization’s strategy?
• What role does sustainability play in guiding product design?
• Is there attention to sustainable practices in day-to-day operations?
• What sustainability initiatives are of highest priority for your company?
• In what area(s) is your company or organization most keen on improving to further its positive impact?
• Where does sustainability “live” in your company or organization? Who oversees sustainability in your organization?
• How is your company or organization working to improve its carbon footprint?
• How does your company or organization incentivize for investment or R&D in energy efficiency, renewable energy, zero-carbon technologies or other carbon-reduction innovations?
• How does your firm practice ethical investing?
• How does your organization educate employees about sustainability?
• How could I get involved with sustainability as an employee at your company or organization?
• Are employees rewarded for making progress on sustainability issues, and if so how?
• To what extent does your company strive to be a leader within its industry on sustainability?

Don’t forget to ask!

Does your company or organization have any job openings available where I could bring a sustainability approach to the work? Are there specific jobs within the company that have a sustainability focus to which I could apply?

What if a recruiter does not have an answer?

• Feel free to go on to another question if you feel this is a dead-end.
• Otherwise you may be able to change the question into something the recruiter may be able to answer. For example instead of asking about how the company as a whole addresses climate change, you could ask about how people in the workplace incorporate sustainability into their work and actions.
• If you have run out of questions or feel the conversation is headed in a direction that is not beneficial for you it could be time to thank the recruiter for their time and head your own way. More on that below.

How to exit a conversation

• The main point is to exit politely and respectfully.
• Thank the recruiter for their time, shake hands if appropriate and then say goodbye.
• Keep in mind that neither party wants to waste time and the recruiter will likely be glad to respect both their own and your time.

Questions for industry-specific companies

There are some industries where it is appropriate to ask questions that are relevant to their particular line of work or operations. Look into recent industry-specific trends in sustainability to tailor your questions to ones that are most important to that sector. 

• Questions to ask employers
• Company emissions data
• “SUS” Career Fair Organizations Lists – Employers/Organizations attending the in-person Fall Career Fair (9/20) are asked a set of questions to help us determine which employers have sustainability, environment, and energy initiatives and are deserving of the SUS label. 
• We considered the following points while evaluating companies: 
• Whether the information provided by each employer is publicly available. It is imperative that companies not only disclose, but frequently update, evidence-based data and reporting of their business practices and social, economic, and environmental impacts. 
• Whether the employer tracks its scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 GHG emissions and has active and transparent strategies in place to curb them.
• Whether the employer has any of the following credentials or memberships:
• B-Corp
• Ceres Network
• FSC Forest Stewardship Council
• RE100
• Science Based Targets Initiative
• Paris Alignment Investment Initiative
• PRI Principles of Responsible Investment
• We encourage students to sort through the list in early September to see which organizations have been granted the “SUS” label. The additional information collected can be useful to you in exploring the organization and figuring out if it is a fit for your interests and values.

Please note registration for the MIT Fall Career Fair is open!

The following options are available for employers to select as additional purchase options when registering for the In-Person Fall Career Fair in Handshake.

Requests for add-ons after being approved and receiving an invoice will require contacting cfairs@mit.edu. Add-ons cannot be added after registering without assistance from the Fall Career Fair team. A new invoice will be sent for additional add-ons requested.

All requests for Add-ons must be made and paid for by September 1, 2025 by credit card, preferably, through the Fall Career Fair event in Handshake.

For questions about Registration or Add-ons, please email cfairs@mit.edu.

The Virtual Fall Career Fair takes place on Friday, October 17, 2025, 1pm – 4pm EST, via Handshake

All registered organizations, regardless of tier, will receive the following as part of their fair attendance:

• Access to participate online in the fair in Handshake through scheduled 1-on-1 chats and group sessions with text and video / audio capabilities during the fair
• One-on-one Video Session Schedules where students can request a 10 minute scheduled 1-on-1 video chat using their resume / profile and employers can choose to accept or decline their request; employers can also reach out externally to encourage candidates to apply. Your company will be able to set up schedules of time slots that candidates will be able sign-up for during the virtual fair. Each representative participating for your organization can set up one schedule. We advise that you should not have more than 3 schedules for each hour, unless your schedules have already been filled up. Refer to Creating a Schedule for Virtual Fairs and Managing Schedules for Virtual Fairs for more information.
• Group Sessions where students can register to participate in a 30 minute scheduled group video chat / info session; can support up to 50 students
• Candidate Profile and Resume Access that includes searching all MIT student profiles in Handshake (for those students that permit employer viewing) and resume access for candidates specifically registered for the virtual Fall Career Fair. Employers approved to attend the virtual fair will be invited to a Resume Book “event” in Handshake that will contain all of the participating candidates who opt-in to share resumes at the virtual Fall Career Fair
• Logo and company details provided to candidates in the employer list for the virtual event, with candidate ability to filter by job type, majors of interest, class years of interest, and ability to sponsor candidates.¹

Virtual Fair Sponsorship Tiers & Benefits

Below are the prices and tiers for sponsoring the virtual fair. In order to register for the virtual fair, employers must choose a sponsorship tier from below to purchase.

	GOLD $800	COPPER $400	GOVT./NONPROFIT $200
Publicity	Social media shoutout	—	—
Branding	Logo on FCF website	Logo on FCF website	Logo on FCF website
Resume Book
Infinite Hall Digital Display		—	—

Refund Policy

The cancellation date for a full refund, less a 5% processing fee charged by our payment vendor, for the virtual fair is October 10, 2025. Cancellations after this date will not receive a refund, and will be expected to pay the full cost of attending the Fair at the registration level selected.

Virtual Fair Resources and Support

• Virtual Fairs in Handshake: A Guide for Employers
• CAPD’s Handshake Virtual Career Fairs page that offers tips and resources for employers and candidates.
• Refer to Creating a Schedule for Virtual Fairs and Managing Schedules for Virtual Fairs for more information on how to create schedules for 10-minute 1:1 and 30-minute group sessions.