CAREER fairs are a great way for college students to "shop" for new job opportunities. The education authorities in Jiangsu and Liaoning revealed recently that last year over 70 percent of college graduates from the two provinces found their first jobs through job fairs.

Now major cities around the country are opening their career fairs to help students with job hunting.

But how do you ensure that your performance at the crowded fair doesn't turn into a circus? Here are some tips.

Stay lively

The lines may be daunting, but don't fail to maximize this opportunity. Talk to every company that fits your experience and ambitions. If you meet with 20 recruiters, at the end of the day you will know 20 people by name. That sure beats sending a blind resume to a "Personnel Director".

Do some research

Find out which companies will be represented and research them in advance using corporate websites or other tools. This will allow you to appear much more professional than unprepared job seekers who make the mistake of starting off their conversations with company representatives by asking, "What does your company do?"

Get a business card

If an interview goes well, you will want to follow up with a letter that reinforces the points you made and the facts you learned. If you made a good impression at the fair, the interviewer probably has made a note to that effect and will remember that you passed his or her on-site screen.

Be prepared

"I attended the job fair because I knew a company which I'd like to work for would be there. I did lots of homework about the company and I revamped my resume based on its job description. Finally, I got the position. So visit a career fair with purpose, it's better than sending out your resumes blindly." --- Lai Yuli, 24, graduated in 2007 from Shantou University

Do some scouting

If you've never been to a job fair, attend one just for observational purposes. Pay attention to recruiters and fellow job seekers to pick up some pointers on how to dress, and how to approach a company's booth appropriately.