Takeaways from my Virtual Career Fair Experience

On February 10, the Pulsifer Career Development Center successfully ran their Spring 2021 Virtual Career Fair, giving graduate students at Bentley a chance to connect with potential employers for jobs and internship opportunities. As business shapes itself to a changing world, the Bentley education adapts and transforms with it. Through continuous learning and a holistic approach, graduate students find the resources necessary to be an instant force as they move forward with their careers and lives. With some reservations about switching from in-person to virtual career fair, the online event proved to be impactful.

Handshake is the official career management platform for Bentley University. Handshake is a platform used by many top employers, including 100% of the Fortune 500, tech start-ups, and nonprofits. Once Bentley graduate students fill out their profile, Handshake will show them jobs and internships that match their interests and skills. Employers will message Bentley students with event invites, interview requests, and new job opportunities via Handshake. Finally, Handshake is where Bentley students can schedule an appointment with a career coach and find Bentley University career events, including career fairs, workshops, information sessions, and more. 

In my opinion, the virtual career fair is more efficient, more technological, lower costs, and more opportunities to talk to the target companies. There is no need for the recruiters to drive from their companies all the way to the campus. A virtual career fair gives students more flexibility in scheduling options such as group sessions and 1:1 meetings with all potential employers. I enjoyed my conversations with the recruiter and working professionals, and learned a lot from their anecdotes. 

Here are a few takeaways from my personal experience of this year’s virtual career fair: 

• Prepare before the event by updating your resume, Handshake profile, elevator pitch, and your day-of outfit 
• Research the employers before the career fair 
• Engage potential employers with effective questions 
• Extend a connection after the event to engage via LinkedIn 

Career development resources are available for all Bentley graduate students to match their talents with current workforce need. Find out more about all the different #Hired Success Stories.