Virtual Job, Internship Fairs Give Students a Leg Up This Fall
Students and alumni take part in mock interviews during a past in-person career event. Photo by Carl Socolow '77.
College's first virtual fairs presented this fall
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
Two virtual job and internship fairs will put career-building and exploration opportunities right at Dickinson students’ fingertips this fall. The online fairs will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, and Wednesday, Oct. 13, both from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT.
The Oct. 13 fair highlights a wide variety of resume- and career-building opportunities across a full spectrum of industries. The Sept. 24 fair is tailored to students interested in technology, government and finance careers, allowing them to get a leg up on tight-deadline internships and job searches for these in-demand fields.
Students in all majors are invited to participate. Registration is required.
As Jessica Seretti, associate dean of employer relations & career development, notes, the virtual fairs, copresented through Handshake by Dickinson, Gettysburg College and Mount St. Mary’s University, are a first for Dickinson. And they come with a special benefit because they allow recruiters and employers to take part without leaving their homes or office.
“This provides additional access to employers that we may not have been involved with before,” says Seretti, who co-led a Sept. 21 Prepare for the Fair session with Annie Kondas, dean and director of employer relations and career development. “It also really gives students control over who they would like to meet with and when.”
As in years past, the fairs also introduce students to employers and organizations with ties to Dickinson, including alumni working across the spectrum of fields. These connections can help students find job and internship opportunities and mentors as students and new graduates and also make the most of their global Dickinson network throughout their lives.
Lunchtime info sessions like Prepare for the Fair are among the many Dickinson events throughout the year that help students make the most of these opportunities. (All are listed on Dickinson’s events calendar, and more resources are available on the student career development website.)
During the recent Prepare for the Fair, Dickinson staff offered time-tested tips—dressing appropriately and preparing for the all-important “Tell me about yourself” question, for example—and delivered an overview of companies and organizations with close ties to the college. In tune with the times, students also learned how to make a good impression virtually and how to prepare their online profile so that potential employers and contacts will have the most complete and up-to-date information available.
Individualized guidance for navigating a virtual career fair—before, during and after these events—is also available through the Center for Advising, Internships & Lifelong Career Development. Students may email questions or learn more about registering for job and internship fairs—and schedule an appointment with a career advisor—through the Handshake help center.
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Published September 22, 2020