The Toppel Career Center is hosting the annual Career Expo this Wednesday, Feb. 24 from 1-5 p.m. However, unlike years prior when the event was hosted at the Watsco Center, the event is being hosted exclusively online. A total of 53 employers ranging from Amazon to Aldi will be set up on a Handshake platform for students to meet with virtually.
Students must have registered for the event via Handshake, under the ‘fairs’ tab on the website. Students can register for one-on-one 10 minute sessions with individual employers or for larger 30-minute group sessions.
“The group sessions range from discussing the culture of the workplace to positions that they are hiring,” said Sasha Espinola, assistant director for Career Events at the Toppel Center.
In these group sessions students are even able to share their audio and video to fully engage with potential employers. Groups sessions that exceed 30 students however will not be able to share their audio. The virtual fair platform is a relatively new feature of Handshake that was fast tracked as a consequence of the pandemic.
“A project that was supposed to take 4 years was completed in 6 to 8 months,” said Espinola.
While the number of registered employers may be down from years past, Espinola asserts that there are several advantages to the online component. Students are able to submit their resume directly to employers upon registration and one-on-one sessions are easy to schedule without having to wait in line to talk with an employer.
Students should upload a recent resume to Handshake and update their profile prior to the fair. Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented, the Toppel Center hopes the Career Expo will continue to help students pursue their career goals.
“Jobs are still out there,” Espinola said.