Top 5 Tips to Prepare for a Virtual Career Fair

With the spring semester gearing up, we have our eyes set on upcoming career fairs. Each interaction at a career fair is critical, and even more so in our new-normal, virtual environment. At Aprio, we go to great lengths to prepare for these events, and you should too! Here are 5 things candidates should do to make the most of your upcoming virtual career fair!

Research, Research, Research!

Want to wait in a one-hour virtual line to speak to an employer? Want to miss out on speaking to an employer because all of their one-on-one sessions were reserved in advance? Absolutely not! In the virtual environment, researching the employers attending the career fair and creating a priority list becomes even more important. One week before the career fair, scan the list of registered employers and select those that match your career and personal interests. Have a general understanding of what each employer does and the positions they hire, and document this in a spreadsheet. Next, for the employers you rate the highest, register for one-on-one sessions in advance or visit these virtual booths at the beginning of the career fair. A little research can go a long way to ensure you’re in the right line at the right time!

Test Your Technology!

Virtual career fair technology is new to all of us! One way that you can reduce technology frustrations on the day of the career fair is to ensure that you are prepared to manage the virtual interface beforehand. One week before the event, set aside time to watch the virtual career fair training that your University has provided you. Watching this training will help ensure that you are ready to go on the day of the career fair. In addition, we recommend charging your computer throughout the event and keeping your video on as much as possible to ensure a seamless virtual career fair experience. Lastly, do not forget to check your Wi-Fi connection before the event begins!

Find a Quiet Spot and Neutral Background!

Although we all understand the different distractions that can arise in a remote environment, minimizing your distractions for the career fair duration will help you maximize your time (typically 10 minutes or less) speaking with each employer. The night before the career fair, identify a location in your home, apartment, or dorm that has a quiet environment and allows for a neutral background behind you. Doing this will allow you to be professional and distraction-free! If something were to happen during the career fair, no need to worry; keep on networking!

Have Your Resume Digitally Handy!

Employers want to learn as much as they can about you! Having your resume handy digitally allows you to take minimal time sharing it through chat or email at the beginning of the conversation upon the employer’s request. It also shows that you are prepared and proud to share your accomplishments. Pro-tip: save your resume as a PDF with a naming convention that helps the employer find it with ease (e.g., “First Name_Last Name_Resume”).

Ask for Contact Information!

Attending a career fair is an important step for kick-starting your job search, but what is the value of speaking to different employers if you have no way of following up with them afterwards? When wrapping up your virtual chat, remember to politely ask the employer for their email or LinkedIn contact information. Compile all contact information in a spreadsheet to keep yourself organized. Collecting contact information at a virtual career fair and following up with a personalized note will also help you to stand out amongst all the candidates someone may have video chatted with that day.

Got questions? Connect with an experienced Aprio advisor today.

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