Career Services’ annual Spring Career Fair to take on virtual format

Illinois State University’s Career Services will be holding its Spring Career Fair from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Due to COVID-19 and for the safety of the students and employers, the fair will be held virtually this spring. 

Students need to make sure they have completed their profile in Hire-A-Redbird, ISU’s job vacancy board. This is where the event will be held this semester and where applications are often posted. 

Additionally, it will be beneficial for students to check out the tips for how to effectively navigate a virtual fair on the website.

“Even though our attendance for our in-person fairs are much higher, we do anticipate many students participating,” Assistant Director for Marketing and Communication for Career Services Susan Whitsitt said.

“Career Services chose to provide the virtual fairs so that Redbirds can still connect with employers and identify open positions. This can also be especially helpful to students who may be out of town and taking classes remotely.”

Whitsitt went on to say that the career fair can help the employers who are not able to come to ISU with the pandemic as well.

“It also serves to assist employers who may have not been able to come to campus due to the pandemic. Although it may not be ideal, we are helping Redbirds to be resilient and continue to thrive with their careers, even during the pandemic,” Whitsitt said. 

There are currently 47 employers that will be attending the virtual fair this semester. There will be representatives from a variety of different industries from large corporations to nonprofit. 

“Students can check out the list of employers attending and the positions they are seeking to fill on the Spring Career Fair webpage,” Whitsitt said.

The virtual fair may be unusual and out of the ordinary, but it should not affect a students’ success. Many of the employers attending the fair will notice when a student can easily navigate remotely and successfully work virtually. 

“Participation in a virtual fair displays to employers one’s work ethic, technology skills, and leadership. These are very important transferable skills to employers as many employers are working remotely as well,” Whitsitt said.

“Since organizations cannot cease their operations during the pandemic, they will be seeking candidates that are also resilient, determined, and able to adapt to challenging situations.”

The Career Services website has many tips that will be helpful during the career fair. Students can find virtual resume reviews, InstaCareer, tips on navigating a virtual fair among other things. 

“Participating in a career fair is an excellent experience for all students interested in their career, not just those who are graduating soon,” Whitsitt said.

“The fair provides them with the opportunity to connect with employers early in their career because it allows them to learn about their industry, explore organizations, practice connecting with employers and build their confidence and begin making professional connections now before they are seeking full-time positions later.”

It is not too late to complete a profile on Hire-A-Redbird for the Spring Career Fair. The Zoom link and further instructions on attending the virtual Spring Career Fair can be found on ISU’s Career Services web page.