A career fair can be a great opportunity to learn about career options in your area of interest and make an impression on several employers. Preparing for the career fair is an important step that should not be overlooked.

Here are the top 7 tips for preparing for a career fair.

1. Prepare your “elevator speech.” An elevator speech is a short statement that you have prepared and rehearsed to introduce yourself to potential employers. It should identify your career interests, skills, and experience and be memorable for the employer. Learn more at this site.
2. Create your Resume. Have copies of your resume ready to hand out to potential employers. Be sure to proof ready it carefully and use the resume to highlight your skills and experiences. Read more about resumes at this site.
3. Research companies in attendance. Do a search about companies attending the career fair that you may be interested in. You can look them up on the web, visit their websites to learn about their mission, or you can talk with friends or family members who may have connections at the organization.
4. Practice interview questions. With a friend or family member, role-play potential interview questions you may be asked. The Muse provides a good list of questions in this article.
5. Prepare questions to ask employers. It is also important that you are ready with questions to ask employers at the fair. Indeed.com provides a good article to help you think of questions.
6. Professional appearance. Be sure to dress appropriately for the career fair. Career Forge provides some good tips.
7. Send a thank you note. Following the fair, send handwritten thank you notes to employers you talked with. This step will help you be memorable following the fair as you continue discussions with businesses about positions.

These tips will help you have a successful and effective career fair. Good luck!