Discussion with employers on Jan 13, 2021 on the topic "Preparing for the Virtual Career Fair". Panelists were from USAA, L3 Harris, Chevron-Phillips and TAMU Career Center.

What are some of the best and worst practices seen during career fairs?

Best Practices

• Dress in your favorite outfit that makes you confident and comfortable

• Practice your elevator pitch

• If you are really interested in one company, talk to as many people possible who represent that company at the career fair. Also, talk to as many different companies as possible to give you a better chance of getting interviews, don’t just go and talk to one company at the career fair

• Keep your routine as normal as possible for the day, get up at the same time, drink, and eat normally, that may help you stay calm and not get nervous about the career fair

Worst Practices

• Not being aware of surroundings during virtual career fair: such as if you have a swivel chair, don’t swivel in it a lot during the career fair discussion, or don’t click your pen a lot

• Not making eye contact, make sure you are looking into the camera for most of the time during the career fair discussions

• Not having a great virtual background or having a lot of distracting noises during the discussion, try to control your environment as much as possible.`

How to stand out in a virtual career fair?

Practice for the interview and have your answers ready for most behavioral interview questions. Dress professionally and be confident during the discussion.

How can one show enthusiasm during the career fair discussion?

Practice interviewing and record yourself to see your manners and what you may be projecting. Practice to show enthusiasm, but be yourself. Try to start each conversation or interview with a smile.

How is the virtual career fair different from the in-person career fair?

Virtual career fairs are more intentional and more focused. There are limited discussion slots and therefore fewer students seen by the companies. Students must be more focused on their selection of companies, preparation for the discussion with companies, and research of the companies they want to meet with. It is harder to start a conversation in the virtual career fair. Develop and practice several ice breakers to start a conversation with the company representative.

How do you “break the ice” or start a conversation with a company representative?

Maybe start with “how are you enjoying the career fair” or ask them about their position in their company. Ask them some “virtual questions”, such as where are they located at the moment (are you working from home?) or how is their technology performing at the time.

What is recommended for attire at a virtual career fair – formal or less formal?

3 panelists said formal attire is better, one panelist said business casual is acceptable. Students must be well-groomed and not look sloppy even though the Career Fair is happening in a virtual format. 

How specific should interview answers be?

Most companies use some form of behavior-based interviewing and should support the STAR method, so answers should have the Situation or Task, the Actions taken, and real Results for their examples they are using to answer interview questions. Answers should be based on real-life, actual experiences and not be theoretical answers. It is recommended that you know the company’s Mission and Values and can use them in the interview. Research the company carefully, sometimes company names can be misleading and you may not be researching the correct company, so double check to assure you have the right company if it has a complicated name.

Do you have any recommendations for questions for the student to ask at the end of the interview or discussion?

Intentional questions to the company representative to assure they got all the information necessary from the student: Is there anything that I need to say or is there something that I didn’t display to have a chance to get this job? 

• Ask what hasn’t been told by the student that the interviewer needs to know.

• Ask what may be a typical career for an employee for the company that the student is interested in

• Ask what it is about the company that has kept the company representative working there 

Should students apply on-line to a company posting or through HireAggies before the career fair?

Yes, that shows that the student has a high interest in the position. Have a “plan of action” for the career fair. Have your priorities in place and what you plan to do for the day.

How can I impress a company representative if I haven’t interned?

Be prepared, research the company, dress appropriately, practice. Even though a student hasn’t interned, they can still get rich experiences through other summer work, classes, college experiences, family experiences, etc. 

How can a graduate student have a better chance on interviews if they don’t have internship experience?

Even though a student hasn’t interned, they can still get rich experiences through other summer work, classes, college experiences, family experiences, organizations, clubs, etc. A panelist shared an example of a student who didn’t have an internship but coordinated a large family reunion and did a lot of planning and organizing which they were able to share during their interview in order to showcase their project management experience. The panelist was impressed by the use of personal experience to show relevant hands-on experience. 

For the virtual career fair, is it ok to use a “cheat sheet” with notes and examples?

Cheat sheets are acceptable as long as the student uses them as a reference and doesn’t directly read from it. 

After the pandemic has passed and virtual communication is not mandated, do you see career fairs still being virtual?

Yes, we do see career fairs having some type of virtual element to them. It saves money, time, and planning and is easier for the companies.

What should a student do if they have a lot of experience in one area, but have decided to pursue another area of study for a job?

Be transparent about why you wish to change areas. The objective statement or the elevator pitch may be good areas to explain why you are interested in change in the area of study for a job.

Are there any last recommendations that the panel wishes to give before the end of this discussion?

Give yourself a break, expect mistakes to happen and try not to get too upset about them. Be cautious about reading prepared answers during an interview, act naturally and answer without reading. Have a pencil and paper ready to jot down any thoughts or questions or comments that you may have during the interview. Have a back-up plan for issues. Get a phone number from the company representative in case the internet connection is lost. Identify a backup computer or iPad you can borrow in case your computer fails. 

 

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Written based on the notes compiled by Guy Rozas, Career Advisor for Engineering, Texas A&M University