connecticum is a career fair for Business, IT and Engineering in Berlin, Germany, for students, graduates and professionals. This checklist is for visitors. Some pages of connecticum.de are available in English — links to German pages say so; the employer directory, the job board and the legal pages are in German.
Before the fair
- Subscribe to the connecticum mailing list. The mailing list sends you short updates and news on exhibitors and programme by email.
- Put together an agenda. Go through the company profiles and offers in the exhibitor overview (German): which companies offer what, and which day are they there?
- Update your CV or short profile. Prepare a few concise sentences about yourself: who am I, what do I want, where do I want to go? That lets company representatives advise you far more precisely.
- You do not need German. connecticum is held in German and English, and around 80 % of exhibitors hold conversations in English. A CV in English is fine; some employers also accept one in German.
- Get your outfit ready. Clean, tidy clothes you feel comfortable and confident in.
At the connecticum career fair
- Arrive in good time. Allow for traffic and train delays.
- Use the free cloakroom. Leave coats and bags there and carry only what you need.
- To warm up: walk once around the fair hall.
- At the stand: start with a short personal introduction, then ask open and honest questions — that way the person opposite can answer precisely. Show that you have read up on the company.
- Giveaways later. Do not end a conversation by collecting giveaways — it can undo a good impression. Better to pick them up on a separate round at the end of the fair.
- Important: take notes. After each conversation, jot down what was said, who you spoke to and how to reach them — details are hard to recall later.
- Plan breaks. The visitors’ café at the fair is the place for them.
- Do a final round of the day. Stands that were crowded in the morning may have more time for you in the afternoon.
- Hand in the feedback form. Fill it in and hand it in at the connecticum stand. It helps us develop the fair further. Thank you.
After the connecticum career fair
- Sort your contacts. Split what you collected into: for now, and for later.
- Reflect on the conversations. About the company and about yourself. Be critical — that is where the learning is.
- Say thank you. Email the people you spoke to and thank them for the conversation. Mention it if an application will follow later.
- Apply with a reference. Refer to your conversation at connecticum in your application.
- Note the next date. Put the next connecticum in your diary for your next career step.