At some point in your college career, you are going to attend a career fair. Why not start early and attend as an underclassman? There is a lot for you to learn and there are a lot of people waiting to learn about you and how you could potentially fit into their company. If you are not yet convinced why you should attend your school's career fair as an underclassman, keep reading.

1. Did I hear the word internship?

So you're not looking for a real person full-time job. That's fine, but what are you doing this summer? You probably don't have any plans yet so it does not hurt to ask companies if they offer summer internships, what the internship entails, and when the application opens. Also, most of the people hiring for those positions are the ones at the fair. If they get to know you at the fair, you have a better shot at landing that position later on.

2. It's not just about networking.

My school's career fair is not just focused on getting you a job - although that is the end goal. The goal of the conference is to develop your career interests and to learn what you might be interested in. The conference will likely have panels for you to attend which is a great way (especially as an underclassman who has not taken many major-specific courses) to find out what else is interesting to you.

3. Talk to someone, anyone.

When you get there and see a lot of people (in scary suits) talking you'll probably want to turn on your heels and run. Don't. Even if you just stand around and listen to a few conversations, you will pick up the ease of networking and probably be able to start your own conversations within 20 minutes. If you see a booth without a line, go up to them and start learning and having a conversation - even if you later realize the company isn't right for you, you still broke free from your comfort zone.

4. A business card for a resume is a fair deal.

It is an unspoken rule that you have to bring a folder or padfolio full of resumes with you. If your goal is to hand out one resume for the day in exchange for one business card I would say you can make that happen. When your great conversation starts to come to an end do not be afraid to ask for a business card. If you do not know how just say something along the lines of; "thank you so much for taking time to talk with me, do you have a business card so I can follow up with any other questions?" Note: do not feel compelled to ask a question, but if you are interested in the company, send a thank you email to them for attending the fair and for getting to know you. A simple thank you goes a long way!

5. Your LinkedIn will thank you.

LinkedIn is a great site for connecting with companies and other professionals. If you do not already have a profile I highly recommend you make one and actually use it. Your classmates are always trying to add to their network (and so should you) so they will definitely be willing to connect with you. Also, if you strike up a conversation with a recruiter, you can work your way into adding them too!

Regardless of your major, minor, certificate, etc. there is a lot that you can learn from career fairs. I highly recommend signing up for them every year and networking your butt off to land the perfect internship or job!