Jobs Fairs
The Bridge organises several Job Fairs every year where students can come along and meet local and national employers.
Our main Jobs Fair is held during Intro fortnight in September and is always a popular event for old and new students who are looking for work for the forthcoming year, this event takes place in The Students Union Foyer on Thursday 24th September from 11am-4pm.
We also hold a mini fair, this event will aslo take place in the Student Union Foyer in May, this event is for students looking for part/full time employment over thoses long summer months.
Information for students
Contrary to the popular myth, finding a part-time, vacation or graduate job is not that easy. High levels of competition means that you cannot simply walk into a job, therefore it’s crucial that you prepare yourself before attending the fair.
This is your chance to:
- Speak to employers in an informal setting
- Find out about the different employment sectors
- Compare companies in the same sector
- Find out what it is like to work within a particular company
- Make direct enquiries about their training schemes, placement opportunities, vacation, voluntary or graduate opportunities
- Find out about potential career prospects
- Collect information and ideas
- Do your preparation
Regularly check our website to find out who’ll be there attending, to research them and visit their websites for background information and details of their current and future vacancies.
Prepare your CV, try and tailor it to your chosen employers. Bring copies with you on the day to give to the visiting employers, taking the opportunity to market your strengths, for more advice preparing your CV you should contact the Futures Team.
On the day
Be open-minded, ask lots of questions, dress appropriately, create a good impression, enjoy the experience and remember to smile!
Take advantage of the informal nature of the event. Don't be afraid of approaching organisations you may not have considered before. They may hold the perfect career opportunity for you or know someone who does!
If you're given an application form to complete, take it away with you, unless the employer asks you to fill it in immediately, you’re more likely to take your time and accurately complete the form at home than in the middle of a bustling jobs fair
After visiting a stand write down the name of the person you have spoken to and information they gave you, you maybe able to use it in a covering letter or on an application form to show that you are enthusiastic.
Following the event
- Make time immediately after the event to take stock of the information you have collected and what you have learnt (don't let your efforts go to waste by posturing and then forgetting what you have found out!)
- Make an action plan to determine what you have to do next i.e. do you have adequate work experience or do you need more?
- Do you need to learn how to fill in an application from (online or paper)?
- Will you need to study for an additional qualification?
- Do you know the vacancy deadline (always earlier than you think!!)?
- Do you need to identify additional opportunity providers / employers?
Fairs are open to all students and graduates of UCLAN and approximately 1600 students attend the larger fairs each year. Interested students are from many different disciplines who are looking for a variety of opportunities. The aim is to attract a wide variety of exhibitors locally, nationally and internationally:
- employers from major graduate recruiters to promote their graduate, industrial placement and vacation work schemes
- employers promoting immediate and future vacancies
- professional bodies
- training organisations and providers
- recruitment agencies
- voluntary organisations
- information on taking a gap year
- information on postgraduate study and research opportunities
- enterprise and self employment opportunities
- part time work while studying
- administration
Costing for these events are as follow:
- Jobs fair in September - £150 + VAT and £75 + VAT for registered charities Download booking form / Download terms and conditions
- Mini recruitment day - £125
The price includes:
- Allocation of floor space
- Requisite tables and chairs
- Allocation of parking spaces in a car park situated near to the venue (no permit required)
- Support from members of staff available throughout the day
- Publicity
The publicity for the events is:
- Publicity on the Bridge website
- Publicity on the Union website
- Adverts placed in the Students' Union newspaper (Pluto)
- Email bulletins
- Notice boards
- Posters
- Flyers
- University campus-wide plasma screens
- SUBtv (Students' Union Bar TV Screens)
