Alright look, local career fairs are still kind of terrifying to me even in 2026 but they’ve literally been the only thing that’s gotten me real interviews in the past year so here we are.
How I Actually Find Local Career Fairs (Without Losing My Mind)
I used to just hope LinkedIn would magically tell me about them. Spoiler: it doesn’t. Now I do this annoying little routine every month:
- Google “[my city] career fair 2026” + the next three months.
- Immediately check Eventbrite because half the smaller ones only live there.
- Set Google Alerts for “job fair” + “career fair” + my zip code (sounds extra I know).
- Poke around my state’s workforce commission website—Texas Workforce Commission has a surprisingly decent calendar even if the design looks like it’s from 2009.
Last month I found this random hybrid local career fair in Plano because some random person posted about it in a Facebook group for tech layoffs. I went. Got two recruiter emails. Still waiting to hear back but whatever, progress.
The Prep Part Where I Still Screw Up Sometimes
I’m gonna be real: I still forget stuff. Last local career fair I went to (like October I think?) I printed my resume on my ancient home printer and the ink was so light the recruiter literally held it up to the light like “is this… invisible?”
Things I force myself to do now:
- Update LinkedIn literally the night before (QR code on phone lock screen ftw)
- Practice saying “I’m really interested in…” without sounding like a robot
- Pack mints, mini hand sanitizer, and like three pens because I always lose them
- Wear shoes I’ve actually walked in before (blistered feet + standing for 4 hours = death)
Pro tip nobody tells you: eat something real before you go. I once showed up after only coffee and got so shaky during a conversation I dropped my portfolio folder and papers went everywhere. Peak embarrassing.
What Actually Works When You’re Standing There
Get there stupid early. Like when the organizers are still taping signs up. The recruiters are bored and will actually talk to you.
Don’t lead with “hi do you have openings”. Ask dumb-but-smart questions like:
- “What’s the one skill gap you’re seeing most in candidates right now?”
- “How has your hiring changed since the last round of layoffs everyone talks about?”
I stole those from some Reddit thread and they actually work. People like talking about problems more than bragging about jobs.
Also—take the stupid swag. The stress ball, the pen, the tote bag. It gives your hands something to do when you’re nervous.
The Follow-Up Game (Where Most People Including Me Give Up)
Send the email the same day if you can. I literally sit in my car after and type it before I drive home. Something like:
“Hey Sarah, really enjoyed hearing about the frontend challenges your team is tackling. I’d love to chat more about how my React experience could help. Thanks again for your time!”
If you forget their name write “the really nice recruiter who talked about microservices” and pray.
I’ve had recruiters ghost me after great convos and I’ve had ones email back six weeks later like nothing happened. Job market still weird in 2026.
Okay Final Thoughts Before I Ramble Forever
Local career fairs aren’t magic but they’re one of the few places left where you can actually talk to a real human who might hire you without ten rounds of coding tests first. I still get anxious, still say dumb stuff, still come home and over-analyze every handshake. But I’ve gotten callbacks from them. Multiple. That’s more than I can say for most cold applications.
So yeah… check Eventbrite tonight. Or google your city + career fair. Worst case you waste a Saturday and get free pens. Best case you leave with actual momentum.
I’m gonna go eat something now because writing this made me hungry and my cat is staring at me like I owe her treats. Go find a local career fair near you. Seriously. Before I talk myself out of believing they’re still worth it.
Outbound Links
Here are the outbound links shared in the blog post:
