Career Fair Prep for Math-related fields

Before the Fair: Prep Like a Pro

Research Companies:

  • Target finance, analytics, data science, actuarial, research, consulting.
  • Know their products, roles, and required skills.

Resume Tips:

  • Highlight: coursework (statistics, linear algebra, optimization), skills (Python, R, MATLAB, SQL).
  • Include projects or internships showing real-world math applications.
  • Keep a general & targeted version ready.

Elevator Pitch (30–60 sec):

  1. Name & major → “Hi, I’m Jane, Applied Math major.”
  2. Interest/career goal → “Interested in data analytics & predictive modeling.”
  3. Skills/project → “Internship using Python to model sales trends.”
  4. Question → “What skills do your analytics interns use most?”

Questions to Ask Recruiters:

  • “What quantitative problems does your team tackle?”
  • “Which tools/software do employees rely on?”
  • “What makes a successful intern in your department?”

Dress: Business casual minimum

During the Fair: Engage Smartly

Approach & First Impression:

  • Smile, handshake, eye contact, start with your elevator pitch.

Tailor Conversation:

  • Connect math skills to company work:
    • Data analysis → business insights
    • Modeling → risk assessment
    • Programming → predictive analytics

Focus on Quality:

  • Meaningful talks with 5–10 companies > handing out resumes to everyone.

Collect Contacts & Take Notes:

  • Business cards or LinkedIn connections.
  • Record key points after each conversation.

Be Ready for On-the-Spot Opportunities:

  • Interviews may be held at the fair.
  • Be ready to discuss projects, internships, and coursework.

After the Fair: Follow Up

Send Thank-You Notes (24–48 hours):

“Thank you for speaking with me. I enjoyed learning about your analytics team & would be excited to contribute my skills in predictive modeling.”

Connect on LinkedIn:

  • Include a brief personalized message.

Reflect & Refine:

  • What went well? Where can you improve?
  • Adjust resume/elevator pitch based on feedback.

Prepare for Next Steps:

  • Track applications & prep for technical/behavioral interviews.

Quick Tips for Math Majors

  • Problem-solving matters – describe your approach clearly.
  • Quantify achievements – e.g., “Improved model accuracy by 15%.”
  • Show programming skills – Python, R, SQL, MATLAB, Excel modeling.
  • Highlight teamwork & communication – math skills + collaboration.
  • Know your math – be ready to discuss favorite projects or concepts.