How To Prepare For A Virtual Career Fair
By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22
The USC Career Fair, taking place February 11, 2021 from 9 AM – 2 PM, is an opportunity for students to get a head start on that thing everyone worries about after graduation: jobs. From full-time, to part-time, to paid internships — there’s a little bit for everyone there. Even if you’re not looking for a job, the Career Fair could also be a great opportunity to get some networking or interview practice in!
The fair happens two times a year, once a semester, and usually in person, but obviously that can’t exactly happen this year. So, how does the event being online change things? How does the platform work and how should you prepare? There are a lot of questions to answer, but thankfully, I’ve got the answers!
So, what is Brazen and how do you use it?
Brazen is the new platform the virtual career fair will be taking place on. In order to participate, there are a couple things you will absolutely need to do, primarily: uploading a resume (check here for resume tips!) and signing up to the platform with a @usc.edu address. Do this ahead of time! Why give yourself unnecessary last-minute stress?The platform also allows for you to update your profile with your photo and additional info, so it’s probably best to do that as well to give recruiters as much info as possible.
In addition, you should also make sure you have a good internet connection and video camera prepared! You don’t want to be breaking up in the middle of a converastion. If you’re still a bit confused about how the platform works, you can check out this video to see how everything is set up here!
How should you prepare for the actual event?
Research, research, research! Find out what employers will be attending from the platform and have your questions ready! Avoid asking them things you could simply find out online to show that you’re serious about whatever position you’re asking about. You can even have them pre-written so you can copy and paste them right into the chat to save time!
Since you have a limited amount of time, it may also be helpful to practice a short introductory pitch for the beginning of your interview (name, year, major, goal, etc.); this way you don’t have to waste time splicing that information out intermittently throughout your meeting.
You can look up some more interview tips and tricks here!
How should you present yourself during the actual event?
Number one, dress to impress! Yes, we’re probably all in our bedrooms or kitchens or whatever, but it’s still a good idea to match the energy recruiters will be putting out if you’d like to get on their good side. There’s still an expectation of professionalism, even online.
This consideration applies to body language as well! Try to sit up straight and look directly into the camera whenever possible. Act as if you actually are standing in front of them. It’d probably be best to go for a neutral looking background as well; if you don’t have one, a background of USC would work great!
Overall, don’t panic! This can all seem like a lot between the research, the new platform, and the interview itself, but at the end of the day, it’s a pretty low-stakes environment and the world won’t end if you slip up a bit. And if you do end up having a great meeting with someone, send a thank you note! (I have a whole post about how to do so here!)
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