What I learned from attending a Career Fair

We get a lot of questions about finding a job in Sweden after studies. Not many people want to pursue studies in an expensive foreign country without the perspective to find work within their field. I am no different. My study combination of biomedicine and communication opens this extraordinary career path but are there any actual opportunities for me in Sweden? If you’re asking yourself the same question, you may be happy to learn that universities truly help with finding a job. There are many different ways and one of them is by organising a Career Fair.

What’s a Career Fair?

A Career Fair is an event where students can meet and connect with employers from various companies and organisations. These events are organised to help students explore job opportunities, internships, and career paths in their field of interest.
I attended a Career Fair organised by Unimeet at Chalmers University in Gothenburg. This event included career booths, networking opportunities, workshops, and presentations.

Company booths

Here you could find representatives of different companies, learn about their jobs or possible job opportunities, and hand over your CV. I could see booths from Volvo, Astra Zeneca, Stena, SKF, and many more. I was personally interested in the Astra Zeneca booth since I have a background in biomedicine. There was a short queue to get to talk to a nice girl about internship opportunities for communication graduates who wish to enter the field of health communication. She was super encouraging telling me about this Graduate Programme where you can explore different Astra Zeneca departments in 2 years. I found it very helpful so I talked with her for a bit more before I had to leave to attend a workshop.

Workshops and presentations

Sessions where companies share insights about their work and offer advice on job applications, career paths, interviews, CVs, or specific industries. I attended some of the presentations and found the CV Workshop particularly interesting. Here is what I learned:

• if a cover letter is optional, send it
• tell them your story in the cover letter
• highlight how you can contribute
• include the contact information
• if you have space, include hobbies
• use CV templates from Canva

Networking at the Career Fair

It was a great networking opportunity, especially during the ‘fika’ break. While sipping my coffee, I talked with a project manager who shared how the company is always looking for students with innovative problem-solving skills. The manager was from Netherlands but had Ukrainian roots. We sparked a conversation about living in Sweden. She even recommended me a book called The Culture Map to learn more about how different cultures communicate and why. This interaction was really inspiring for me.

I walked out of the 3-hour Career Fair with a head filled with new ideas. This was more than a nice event – it was an opportunity. I learned a lot from professionals in various fields and it allowed me to better imagine where I want to go in my career. The day was packed with workshops and meaningful tips. I left with a clear sense of direction, fresh inspiration, and a new book to dive into. It turns out, career fairs aren’t just about finding out your options – they’re a little bit about finding yourself too.