Scottish Graduate Jobs Fair (5 June 2024)

The Scottish Graduate Jobs Fair will take place on Wednesday 7th June 2023, from 11:00 - 16:00.

Find out more and register for access here

1. Do your research: In advance of the event, think about who you want to speak to and why. The list of exhibiting organisations will be confirmed and published below closer to the event. 
2. Take full advantage of the opportunity: Make the most of your access before it goes live to  browse stands and prepare. Each exhibitor will have representatives waiting and keen to talk to you on the day, so use this time to request live text or video chats with them. 
3. Give yourself enough time: Just as with face-to-face careers fairs, there may be queues to speak to exhibitors. Give yourself enough time to speak to those exhibitors that are your top priority. 
4. Be mindful of professional etiquette: make sure to use appropriate language and tone when speaking to employers. Also make sure your background is appropriate for any video calls and that you’re dressed in a way you would be at a face-to-face careers fair. 

Organisations from across Scotland and the UK offering graduate opportunities starting in 2023. The fair is open to international employers but will predominantly host UK based employers offering opportunities in the UK.  

Confirmed exhibitors can be found here

Careers Fairs are an excellent opportunity to explore options, have interesting conversations, and practise your networking skills. This platform allows you to initiate both text and video conversations with the exhibitors.  Talking to employers online can feel different but the advice is the same, if you were the recruiter, what would you like to be asked about? Recruiters like questions. Posing informed, well-researched questions is a great way to impress potential employers while also gaining the information you need to make your own mind up about an opportunity.

Top tips for conversations with employers:

• Questions should not just focus on what you want to know.  Use them to show your understanding of the company, the positions they have available and the wider industry. These don’t have to just spring to mind during the chat – your questions can be prepared ahead of time.
• Use our Guide to Informational interviews as a starting point and note down at least 5 questions while you are researching – so when you’re chatting you’ll have plenty to choose from.
• Avoid generic questions like “what do you do?” by doing research and familiarising yourself with the information already available in each stall.
• Have notes to refer to; this is a huge perk of the digital environment.
• Drop by the Careers Service support stand to practice asking questions.  Approach employers you’re less interested in first; hone your phrasing so you’re happy with the impression you make on your preferred recruiters.

Examples of good questions to ask employers:

• What is a typical day like for them?  
• What has been the most unexpected thing about joining the company? 
• What are the challenges facing the organisation at the moment? 
• What differentiates them from their competitors? 
• What attracted them to this industry/company/job?  
• What are they most excited or concerned about for this industry/company/career path in the future?  
• What are the common misconceptions about working in this company?  
• What are some of the defining characteristics of the graduates who have been hired by the company in the past? 
• What do they enjoy most about this industry/company/job?  

Whatever stage you are at, the University of Edinburgh Careers Service is here to help.

• Visit our Graduating in 2023 page for tips and resources on planning for life after graduation
• Check out MyCareerHub to see what other events are coming up
• Make an appointment to get advice on your next steps