Business
Business School
Still not sure what you actually want to do with your degree yet? You’re not alone.
For a lot of us, the word “career” feels distant, something to put aside, something we’ll figure out later. But somewhere between tutorials, lectures and society events, that question starts to creep in: What am I actually working towards?
I still remember conversations from past Careers Fairs where students walked in thinking they had their entire path planned out, only to leave reconsidering what the future could look like after a few simple chats with recruiters and industry representatives. That moment of perspective is exactly why our Annual Careers Fair exists.
Each year, this flagship event brings together the majority of our 18+ sponsors alongside a diverse range of firms across industries. From global names like Jane Street and Citi, to organisations such as Nestlé, Connell Griffin and PIMCO. The event caters to over 500 students, making this room a catalyst for opportunities, but more importantly, conversation.
Unlike what you might expect, this isn’t a rigid, high pressure environment. The Careers Fair runs as an open floor networking event, meaning there are no panels, no formal rotation, just the space to have genuine conversations between you, recruiters and industry representatives. You can roam around freely, explore different firms and spend more time at the booths that spark your interest.
Why does this matter?
Because sometimes what you think you want isn’t what you end up loving. I remember attending the previous Careers Fair thinking I already had a clear idea of the path I wanted to pursue. But after spending just a few minutes speaking with representatives from firms I hadn’t originally planned to approach, I found myself learning about entirely different roles and career paths that I hadn’t seriously considered before.
That’s the value of these conversations. A quick chat with someone from Bain & Company about consulting, or speaking with representatives from firms like CPA or BDO about the kinds of client work their teams do, can quickly turn abstract job titles into something far more tangible. With the Big Four; KPMG, EY, Deloitte and PwC currently opening their vacationer applications, these interactions often become the first step in understanding what those roles actually look like beyond the job description.
Careers Fair is about understanding workplace cultures firsthand through such conversations with recruiters, learning how different teams operate within organisations and gaining clarity on how the recruitment process actually works. These conversations, despite being initially daunting, undeniably help you develop stronger “Why this firm?” or “Why this industry?” answers when preparing for interviews. You will find the questions that Google can’t answer while putting a face to firms you’ve only seen on LinkedIn.
And this event truly is open to everyone. Whether you’re a first year still figuring things out and wanting to explore without pressure, or if you’re in your second year and starting to think about internships, it’s a chance to start building familiarity. If you’re penultimate or final year and actively applying, it’s an opportunity to strengthen connections and show genuine interest.
You don’t need everything mapped out before you walk in. You just need to show up. Our hope isn’t that you walk away with a job offer on the spot, but that you leave with clarity, confidence and maybe even a new path you hadn’t considered before. Professional growth at least for us and hopefully many of you out there reading this, didn’t begin with certainty; more often than not, it begins with curiosity.
So when the doors open and the room fills with conversation, I encourage you to step into it. Introduce yourself. Ask a question. Stay a little longer at the booth that interests you and the opportunities will unfold at the UNSW Business Society Careers Fair.