Walking into the Fall 2025 Career and Internship Fair for the first time as a senior, I did not know what to expect. I felt both curious and uncertain. I wondered if I had prepared enough and if I had waited too long to take advantage of this opportunity. Taking in everything that I experienced, I learned just how valuable the fair is for building connections and becoming more confident in myself as a young professional entering the workplace.
On the first day, I immediately noticed the energy in the room. Engineering students were lined up at check-in wearing sophisticated suits, resumes in hand, eager to speak with employers, and it struck me just how ready they were. Recruiters were stunned by the amount of professionalism and preparedness that students brought to their booths. “They have obviously prepared their resumes, elevator pitch, and appearance carefully,” said a LANXESS recruiter. Seeing recruiters impressed by my peers made me eager to put my best foot forward.
Their eagerness must have come from their time at the Career Fair Prep Week events, where students learned how to make an elevator pitch, how important it is to research employers, and how to make their resumes professional, polished, and tailored to positions. To prepare for my time at the fair, I met with my career consultant, Erin Wheeler, and she gave me specific advice for my goal of working in marketing. She helped me to tailor my resume with the most important experience at the top, so recruiters would immediately notice my interest and knowledge in the media field. Those conversations showed me how much preparation matters when turning a first impression into a meaningful connection.
Erin also taught me about the STAR method, a structured way to answer interview questions by breaking them down into the situation, task, action, and result. As I walked around the fair, I kept thinking about the kinds of stories I might want to tell in future interviews. It was reassuring to know that I had a tool to organize my answers, and I could see other students getting similar boosts of confidence from staff who were walking around the fair offering encouragement and advice. Career fairs can be nerve-racking, especially your first time, but those small interactions really make a difference.
One of my favorite parts of the fair was getting to watch seniors receive their padfolios. Seniors who attend the fairs traditionally receive sleek, black padfolios with the University of Pittsburgh emblem on the front as a gift from the Career Center and the Pitt Alumni Association. A Computer Science student, Christopher McEnroe, had been using the same folder since freshman year and saved his nametags on it since his first fair. He was genuinely excited to finally swap it for a professional padfolio. I got one too, and it was a simple but powerful reminder of how much growth can happen during your time at Pitt, and how much Pitt wants to help us to succeed.
Looking back, what stands out most to me is how much this experience felt like a community effort. Students, staff, and recruiters all came together to create an environment where we could learn, grow, and take steps toward our futures. As someone who almost skipped career fairs entirely, I’m so glad I didn’t. Now, I can’t wait to see what opportunities the next Career & Internship Fair will bring, and you should be curious too! With graduation fast approaching, every chance to explore, connect, or achieve becomes more valuable.
See you at the next fair!
