A NACE member recently asked the NACE Community for ideas for fun, useful items to give away to students during career fairs. Several of her colleagues offered insight, which included ideas they collected from their students.

For example, one respondent said students suggested center staff purchase discount DVD movies and pair them with popcorn buckets for a movie pack, which could be themed (such as horror or comedy).

Here are several other ideas offered by NACE Community members:

• Small, squishy animals to use as stress relievers during midterms;
• A lint brush the size of a pen;
• Stickers with the school mascot and a slogan;
• A small notebook with a pen, with the school logo on the front of the notebook;
• Lip balm;
• A webcam cover;
• A pizza cutter;
• A laptop cleaner brush;
• Dog toys, such as a tennis ball;
• Socks;
• A mini stapler with the office logo on it;
• A flashlight;
• A canvas tote bag;
• Hot/cold mini-bead ice packs;
• A picnic blanket;
• A long charger cable and plug;
• A bottle opener; and
• Succulent plants/seeds and pot.

Another respondent stressed the importance of finding items that are useful, noting that students do not value items that are gimmicky and tend to quickly discard them.

Do you have ideas for fun, useful to give to students at career fairs? Join the discussion in the NACE Community.