CoES Virtual Career Faire

Virtual career fairs on Handshake allow you to meet recruiters, employers, and graduate program representatives through video sessions. The COES Virtual Career and Graduate School Fair is an opportunity to aid students in taking the next steps in their journey by presenting them with tangible options for what they can do after graduation. Recruiters will likely review your profile before a session, so update your Handshake profile with your role and location preferences, skills, organizations, and work experience!

1. To register for the COES Virtual Fair: Log in to your Handshake account (Before you can register for the fair, you will need to create an account on Handshake if you haven't already. Directions for creating an account can be found here), click on Events, and select the “virtual” and “career fairs” filters.

2. You are required to register for each session that you would like to attend.

3. Set your Handshake account privacy settings to “COMMUNITY” to sign up for group and 1:1 sessions with employers. You can do this by clicking on your photo or initials in the top right corner of Handshake and selecting “Settings & Privacy”.

REGISTER HERE

For assistance or more information, contact Dr. Edwards at cledwards@sfsu.edu

1. Update your handshake profile

The first step in preparing for virtual fairs is ensuring your Handshake profile is complete and up-to-date. Your Handshake profile helps you get personalized recommendations for upcoming virtual events. Plus, recruiters use profile fields to find students to invite to their sessions. Do not let an incomplete or out-of-date profile keep you from getting discovered by recruiters. You can do this by clicking on your photo or initials in the top right corner of Handshake and selecting “My Profile.” Be sure to update your GPA, major, school year, preferred name, work experience, work authorization, projects, and more! Select the job types, locations, and roles that interest you so recruiters know which jobs and internships fit you.

2. Prepare your resume

Make plans to update your resume. Take advantage of the resume writing workshops and services offered through the SFSU Career & Leadership Office. Also, consider utilizing the VMOCK Resume Smart Editor. Not sure what to include in your resume or how it should be formatted? Check out our Resume Guidelines.

3. Upload Your Preferred Resume to Handshake

In your Documents section, click on your preferred resume, select “Edit Document,” and set it to “Pubemployers to review during the Career Fair. Check out this YouTube video with step-by-step instructions on uploading a document to Handshake.

4. Attire and Workspace

The recommended dress for this event is business professional attire. Ensure you have a solid internet connection. Be aware of your surroundings. Your interviewer should be able to focus on you without being distracted by a TV playing in the background, posters hanging on the wall, or the fact that they cannot see your face very well. Do not let your surroundings detract from the great things you are saying… you want to come across as you are—smart, capable and ready to take on the work at their company or organization!

5. Research employers

Explore the list of employer attendees and narrow down your search using filters to find companies that match your interests. To view the employer information page, simply click on the name of the organization. Make sure to check out their preferred job roles and opportunities as well!

6. What to expect during a Virtual fair

What will participating in a virtual fair look like on a fair day? Check out How To Navigate Virtual Fairs in Handshake complete with screenshots! Maintain eye contact (look at the camera, not the screen), practice active listening, and ask thoughtful questions based on your company research. We will support students via an external Zoom link on the day of each virtual career fair. The Zoom link can be accessed at the top of the event description on Handshake. Follow the link to meet face-to-face with a fair organizer.

7. Technical Requirements

The required web browsers for Handshake’s Virtual Career Fair platform are Google Chrome or Firefox. Text-based chat will be an option if you cannot access a webcam. Students can access sessions 5 minutes early to test audio and video. Check out this helpful article for additional information: Handshake Video Requirements & Troubleshooting for Students