Internship & Job Career Fairs

The virtual career fair is video chat – employers will see you!

Have a good backdrop

• Ensure your background is clean, no clutter or distracting items
• Consider using a virtual background such as a shot of WashU’s campus

Have good lighting – you should be well lit and easy to see on screen

Frame yourself within the screen

• Don’t be too close or too far
• See the top of your head to below your shoulders

All students should dress professionally (suit).  Conservative colors (black, navy, gray, khaki) are recommended without a lot of accessories.  You want to be remembered by your personality and smart answers, not the clothing/accessories you’re wearing. See the Career Center’s Pinterest boards for ideas on what to wear to the Career Fair.

Here’s a brief video overview of a virtual career fair.

Best Practices:

1. When joining an employer chat, instead of downloading Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc., select the option to join the meeting online and it will be faster to join
2. As long as you are in a queue, remain in the Virtual Career Fair so you do not miss any employer chat requests. Please do not navigate to other areas
3.  Make sure you click the “Attend” button so that you can join chats
4. Before the fair, mark your favorite employers by clicking on the “Favorite” star icon, so that they will display at the top of your list
5. Be sure to enter Notes after each video chat you complete, before you join the next chat, so that you do not forget key information
6. Log into your CAREERlink account before the VCF to make sure you have an updated resume uploaded to the VCF and that your “Chat Profile” is current.

To get the most out of the experience, and make the best impression when you meet employers, we recommend you take these steps to prepare ahead of time:

• Research participating organizations: It’s possible that you’ll find a position that interests you in an industry that you didn’t expect. For that reason, it’s a good idea to look through the list of organizations and also browse positions. Pick a few employers to meet and research them to come up with strategic, educated questions to ask during the fair. Read their website; find out about their products, work, clients and competitors; see if they have positions posted; look for their mission statement or cultural pillars; check the annual report and/or current news; check LinkedIn to see if WashU alumni work there; check their locations and organizational structure. Recruiters can always tell if students have researched ahead of time, so this step is critical for making a good impression.
• Practice how you’ll introduce yourself: What about you and/or the employer inspired you to meet them? Here is a formula for your 30 second intro: 1) Start off by sharing your name, year and major; 2) say a bit about your interests or experience (coursework, activities, leadership, internships/jobs) that are relevant to the employer (which you’ll know from your research); 3) mention what about them caught your attention; 4) state why you think you and the organization might be a good match. Ask a question based on what you read on their web site and find out how you can stay in touch or what next steps you should take. For tips, see this video.
• Plan what you’ll wear: A suit is safe, but a professional dress or nice pants and a crisp shirt and/or jacket will also look polished. Remember, they will be able to see you over video and it’s important to show that you are taking this seriously. Aim to appear as a polished version of yourself.
• Prepare materials: Write or update your one-page resume (PDF) and have it reviewed to make sure the format is clean, descriptions are clear, and there are no errors or typos. You’ll also want to have a notebook and pen ready to jot down notes about your conversation after each employer meeting. You will also want to write down their name (with correct spelling) and email address. These notes will help you write a thank you note referring to your conversation (help them remember you!) and include details from your conversation in a cover letter.
• Follow-up afterwards: Send a thank you email referring to specifics from your conversation, and, if appropriate, connect on LinkedIn.

No. If you are a First Year student, don’t let your lack of a professional resume stop you from attending. However, we highly encourage most students to use the fair as a good reason to update your resume. For tips and examples, see our Resume & Cover Letters handout (PDF.) For feedback, visit our Quick Questions walk-in hours.

Each time you put yourself in a professional situation, you grow in comfort and confidence. Practice makes progress, and returning to the fair in the future will be much easier if you show up when the stakes are relatively low. Career Fairs help students practice the critical skill of professional interaction. So attend the fair to get experience introducing yourself to a few employers.

As for the employers that will be represented, it’s important to understand that recruiting cycles and methods are industry driven. To effectively plan your internship or full-time job search, it is critical to know when industries tend to post positions. Read our information about recruiting cycles by industry to get a better sense of how and when various industries tend to post, recruit and hire.

Regardless of the industries that interest you, or the likelihood of campus recruiting through virtual fairs or postings, the Career Center is dedicated to helping you build your target list, interact with employers, network with alumni, and learn how to successfully navigate the search and application process. For help with your process, join a Career Interest Group or schedule an advising appointment.

It is vital that you engage in intentional conversations with employers to learn about and share interest in their work. You can do this in a variety of ways:

• Events: Virtual information sessions, coffee chats, networking and panel events, and more
• Career Interest Groups
• Our Team: Our employer relations and advising teams can also help to facilitate connections and introductions if you have a very specific interest area.
• Washington University Alumni Communities & Networks
• LinkedIn