Fall 2026 Raleigh Job Fairs & Hiring Events: Your Complete Guide

RALEIGH, NC — The Triangle's fall job fair calendar is set, and the best of it lands over five weeks. From a regional expo off I-40 in Cary to a biotech fair in Research Triangle Park and a hotel ballroom fair in North Hills, Raleigh job seekers have three verified, in-person chances between now and mid-November to put a resume straight into a recruiter's hand.

Three in-person job fairs from October 13 to November 12, each checked against the organizer's own page. Here is where to be, who is recruiting, and what each one asks of you.

Ready to go? Skip straight to the job links and begin searching now →

📅 Table of Contents

Oct. 13 — Triangle Career Expo, Cary
Oct. 20 — NC Life Sciences Live Career Fair, RTP
Nov. 12 — Raleigh Job Fair, North Hills

Triangle Career Expo — Tuesday, October 13

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Embassy Suites Cary, 201 Harrison Oaks Blvd., Cary, NC 27513

This is the big general fair of the season and the easiest one to say yes to. Capital Area Workforce Development, the public workforce board behind the Capital Area NCWorks career centers, runs it, and the official expo site now lists 56 employers. That roster leans hard on steady public and health care work: the City of Raleigh, Wake County Government, NCDOT and several state agencies, plus WakeMed, Duke Health, UNC Health and Thermo Fisher Scientific, with construction contractors and distributors filling out the room. Parking is free. Job seekers register through the organizer's Eventbrite page. Employers have not published specific openings, so look up two or three postings per booth before you go. → See details

NC Life Sciences Live Career Fair — Tuesday, October 20

2:00 – 6:00 p.m. | North Carolina Biotechnology Center, 15 TW Alexander Dr., Durham, NC 27713

One week later, the focus narrows to the industry that keeps building plants across Wake and Johnston counties. BioNetwork, the life sciences training arm of the NC Community College System, hosts this fair at NCBiotech in the park. Its career fair page lists Amgen, Cambrex, Eli Lilly and Company, Grifols and Liquidia among the employers, along with staffing firms and schools. The catch: this is an industry fair for students and job seekers interested in life sciences, and earlier BioNetwork live fairs targeted program graduates and people with some industry experience. Registration is required, and the organizer has not posted an admission fee for this one, so check when you sign up. → See details

Raleigh Job Fair — Thursday, November 12

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Hilton Raleigh North Hills, 3415 Wake Forest Rd., Raleigh, NC 27609

The last big general fair before the holidays sits right off the Beltline in Midtown. Best Hire Career Fairs runs it, admission is free for job seekers, and the organizer recommends registering early because space is limited. The official event page currently names Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Charles River Laboratories, Guerbet, Curtis Media Group, Sage Hospitality Group, Hotel Indigo and Rocky Top Catering, and says more employers may be added and the list can change. Expect a strong hospitality and airport presence, which makes it a good stop for anyone chasing holiday-season shifts that turn permanent. → See details

Campus Events Worth a Phone Call

Wake Tech's career services calendar also lists a Fall 2026 Part-Time Jobs Career Fair on Wednesday, October 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at its South Campus, and a Fall 2026 Veterans Ceremony and Career Expo on Thursday, November 5, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The college has not said whether either one is open to the general public, and campus fairs often are not. If you are not a Wake Tech student, confirm before you go by calling career services at 919-866-5000.

🔎 How to Pick the Right Ones

Government and public sector: The Triangle Career Expo on October 13 is the clear choice, with city, county and state recruiters in one room.
Nurses and health care support: Also October 13, where WakeMed, Duke Health and UNC Health are on the list.
Biotech manufacturing, lab and quality: October 20 in RTP, especially if you have BioWork, GMP or lab coursework.
Hospitality, airport and customer-facing work: November 12 in North Hills.
Trades and construction: October 13, where several contractors and mechanical firms have booths.
Not sure yet: Hit both general fairs, October 13 and November 12. They draw different employers.

What to Bring to Any of Them

A registration confirmation for each fair, done before the day.
Ten to fifteen printed resumes, tailored to the employers you plan to visit.
A short list of postings you have already applied to, by employer.
Copies of licenses and certifications: nursing, CDL, trade cards, BioWork.
Your availability, shift preferences and earliest start date.

Want a resume check first? The NCWorks Career Center on Swinburne Street in Raleigh offers free help. Call 919-250-3770.

💼 Where to Aim This Fall

Every fair goes better when you walk up to a booth already knowing the job you want. These searches line up with the employers and fields on this season's rosters.

Start here:

Raleigh Job Fairs FAQ

What job fairs are coming up in Raleigh this fall?

Three verified in-person fairs: the Triangle Career Expo in Cary on Tuesday, October 13, the NC Life Sciences Live Career Fair in Research Triangle Park on Tuesday, October 20, and the Raleigh Job Fair at Hilton Raleigh North Hills on Thursday, November 12.

Are these job fairs free?

The October 13 and November 12 fairs are free for job seekers. BioNetwork has not posted an admission fee for the October 20 life sciences fair, so check when you register.

Do I need to register in advance?

Yes, for all three. The life sciences fair requires registration, and the other two ask job seekers to sign up ahead of time.

Which fair is best for someone new to the workforce?

Start with one of the general fairs on October 13 or November 12. The October 20 fair is aimed at people with life sciences training or experience.

Can I attend Wake Tech's campus career fairs?

Wake Tech has not said whether its October 28 and November 5 events are open to the public. Call career services at 919-866-5000 before you go.

Will this guide be updated?

Yes. We add fairs as organizers confirm them and pull any that change. Check back before you head out.

Make Every Fair Count

Create a free LocalJobPage account to get alerts when new Raleigh-area jobs post, and browse every open job across the Triangle so you know which booths to hit first.

Employers: hiring in Raleigh, Cary or RTP? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach Triangle job seekers directly.