10 Best Career Fair Giveaways

You want to stand out in the crowd at career fairs. With groups of people flocking from table to table, business to business, it’s easy for your company to get swept away in the blur of names and faces. A good way to distinguish your brand is through high-quality, relevant career fair giveaways.

Giving out fun career fair swag items like keychains or branded pens may seem like a small gesture, but if done correctly gives individuals a reason to remember your company. Since these career fair giveaway ideas double as a marketing opportunity, make sure your giveaways are high quality and useful! Nobody wants another cheap plastic trinket they’ll never use. Below we’ve assembled a list of our 10 favorite job fair giveaways.

Benefits of Career Fair Giveaways

Can you remember the last time someone made you feel valued, or special? We recognize the importance of reassurance in our personal lives but often take for granted its significance in work-related situations. While career fairs are all about giving people, college students or otherwise, a chance to connect with potential employers, and to leave their marks, it’s important for employers to make a good impression as well, and to impute value. Depending on your industry, potential employees will have many options to consider when assembling their resumes and job applications.

Career fair giveaways make individuals feel special and worthwhile, especially when the giveaway item itself is more intentional. For example, no one’s going to think your company designed a tote bag particularly for them. However, they will notice the extra level of detail and value and feel more important — that they’re a part of something.

In this light, creative messaging on promotional products (versus just your company logo) can also be a strong way to set your branded giveaways apart. Career fair giveaways, in either case, help improve brand visibility and boost awareness. Plus, they can help distinguish your company as authoritative and established compared to others.

The 10 Best Career Fair Giveaways

Below are 10 career fair giveaway ideas your company can incorporate in your current career fair strategies. They should be implemented with quality in mind, and in a way that will naturally fit in with peoples’ lifestyles. Utilitarian giveaways offer a low ask to be remembered. That is, you’re not asking people to read your blogs or sign up for any newsletter, even; simply, you’re giving out a helpful tool that can be used on a somewhat consistent basis during the year.

Since some of the items on this list are smaller, it can be good to pair several together to create a sort of care package for people visiting your table at career fairs. This also gives people some options in case they don’t need another keychain.

1. Metal Water Bottle

Everyone could drink more water. Going between activities throughout the day, an easily portable, clip-on metal water bottle gives people a way to stay hydrated in style. Go with an insulated bottle to accommodate hot or cold drinks and for an eco-friendly, plastic-saving option readily chosen at career fairs. Adding your logo or branded messaging gives this useful product an extra distinction to make your company stand out.

2. Tote Bag

Backpacks and satchels may seem like a staple in the workplace or on campus, but in the time of increasingly digital workflows many people opt for something lighter-weight, more casual, and stylish such as a tote bag. Canvas tote bags, branded or otherwise, are perfect career fair giveaway items for professionals on the go. They can be used in an academic or workplace setting, and to carry around recreational gear on weekends. Plus, tote bags tend to carry with them (no pun intended) an element of durability and value in terms of career fair giveaways.

3. Branded Pens or Stylus

Quick, easy, and useful, branded pens and styluses are a staple giveaway at career fairs. Your company name or logo brings an element of exclusivity and familiarity, in addition to peppering in some style to otherwise less exciting writing instruments. Try pens with a grip, or a built-in stylus, for an added level of utility, while still being cheap enough to buy in bulk.

4. Keychain

A keychain is a great option because of its versatility. In addition to going the traditional keychain route, try multi-purpose keychains with hybrid functionality such as built-in flashlights, bottle openers, or compasses. Like pens, keychains offer a simple, cost-effective giveaway that people can use every day.

5. Branded Hat or T-Shirt

Like tote bags, branded hats or T-shirts are a step up in the realm of career fair swag. Fun designs or colors really pop and, with the right touch, give people something new to wear around that’s a stylish reminder of their newly made career fair connections.

This is also a great chance to showcase your unique company values and creativity. You can choose between more neutral colors and messaging, and brighter colors with edgier designs depending on the ethos of your business. Be sure to provide a variety of sizes and even a couple of different colors to choose from.

6. Work Planner or Journal

Few career fair swag items are as appealing as free notebooks or planners. You can switch up the size and go wallet-sized or 8.5 x 11 depending on your style and the intended function. It may seem like a small detail but choose a well-designed, thoughtfully arranged planner or journal. Once someone takes one, they should want to use it, too!

Choose planners with recycled paper for a sustainable option. And as with other items on this list, consider adding company branding or relevant, inspirational messaging to form a deeper connection with potential employees.

7. Hand Sanitizer

COVID-19 has made almost everyone accustomed to carrying around their own hand sanitizer. The world is, after all, a germy place. People will love a free hand sanitizer to clip onto their bags when going between daily activities, meetings, the gym, the library, and wherever else life takes them. Consider different scent options, too, for an added touch of personalization.

8. Phone Accessories

There’s a lot you can do here. A few common phone accessories popular at career fairs include phone chargers, power banks with built-in cables, wallet sleeves, pop-out grips, and microfiber cloths. Because so much of life is spent on the go, portable chargers are especially in demand.

9. Reusable Straws or Other Sustainable Gifts

With sustainability concerns more prominent the last few years, meet prospective employees in the middle by offering a job fair giveaway that they may already be looking for! Reusable metal straws are small and easy to buy in bulk, durable and demonstrate that your company cares about the environment. Many of the other items on this list like pens, notebooks, water bottles, and T-shirts can become a sustainable option, too, when made from recycled materials.

10. Portable USBs

Even if you’re not a tech company, everyone uses technology in some capacity and can benefit from small and portable gadgets. USB flash drives or USB multi-port hubs both offer a simple, useful device that people will take around with them during their busy days. Plus, you can easily add on company branding to make this gift more memorable.

Job Fair Giveaway Ideas Conclusion

These 10 career fair giveaways should provide you with some great ideas for spreading brand awareness at career fairs, connecting with potential employees, and showcasing your company’s unique culture and values. Since some of the items are smaller, you can easily mix in several giveaways at your table. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s high quality, relevant to people (students or otherwise), and accurately represents your company.
Are you inspired by these career fair giveaway ideas? Are you looking to take the next steps to activating your brand and achieving your goals? Get started with a free, no-strings-attached consultation with the Centricity team or shop our catalogue of custom branded items to make your career fair swag dreams a reality.

Are you inspired by these job fair giveaway ideas? Are you ready to create your next piece of awesome swag? Get started by scheduling a free, no-strings attached session with someone on our team. Let’s make your swag dreams a reality!

Let’s make your job fair giveaway dreams a reality!