YNCN’s Career Fair FAQ
Don’t worry if you still have questions for the Career Fair! We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you arrive confident and prepared.
Will the career fair be virtual this year due to COVID?
Yes! We’ll be hosting the Winter Career Fair (WCF) on January 15th through Hopin — register for the Summit and the Career Fair here!
Here’s a demo video to help you get onboarded to Hopin:
We also have an article to help with navigating online career fairs for more information.
What events are going on during Career Week?
- Monday, Jan 11: First Year Series: How to Succeed at the Winter Career Fair
- Tuesday, Jan 12: Perfect Your Pitch
- Wednesday, Jan 13: Resume Clinic
- Thursday, Jan 14: Summit
- Friday, Jan 15: Winter Career Fair
What is the Winter Career Fair (WCF) Summit?
The WCF Summit occurs the evening before the Career Fair and is a networking event for University of Toronto students and company representatives. The event features 3 keynote speakers from Qualcomm, Konrad Consulting Group, and Perpetua, and afterwards there will be an opportunity for casual networking. It’s a great chance to warm-up to networking through smaller-scale meetings with company reps and other students.
The ticket for the Summit is combined with the Career Fair ticket — register here for both!
Why Should I Attend a Career Fair?
Career fairs are events that provide a space where recruiters from a variety of companies and students are able to network. They are centered around helping the you learn more about different companies and possible positions for internships, full-time positions after graduation or for PEY. They are also a good opportunity to make an impression and network with recruiters.
What companies will be attending the Career Fair?
For the upcoming Online Career Fair on January 15 2021, check out the list of companies attending here!
How should I prepare for the Career Fair?
Have a shortlist of companies you think you may want to work for. Prepare a set of intelligent questions about the company. Get your resume ready. Go out there and make a good impression, and ensure you get their contact info to open the route for more meaningful follow up conversations in the future.
For the upcoming YNCN Winter Career Fair, you’ll be able to upload your resume after you register (prior to the event). Check out our other networking, resume, and career fair articles here for more support on preparation.
What should I talk about to recruiters? What is a good first question to ask?
Good initial talking points can be: your interest in the company, some information on your experience and how it could translate to working with them, or you can ask about the recruiter’s experience working there. Do have an elevator pitch prepared — your goals and what makes you stand out. The aim is to have an enjoyable conversation not just about yourself, but about the employer and the company too.
Here’s our article on Networking During Career Fairs for you to check out too!
What should I do when companies tell me to apply online?
You can apply online — the career fair will still help you stand out as a candidate when the recruiter is going through resumes. Plus, it always helps to meet someone at the career fair (or on LinkedIn) who has previously or is currently working at the company. This allows you to learn more about the the company culture and work experiences at the company (beyond a description on a job posting!).
What should I expect get out of the Career Fair?
Go with the mindset to explore different jobs and different industries. Many first year students don’t quite know yet what they want out of their career, so a great starting point is speaking with industry professionals and asking them specific questions about the types of skills they’re looking for!
If you have a role and some target companies in mind, speak to the recruiters at those companies and showcase that you are a great fit for their firm through your elevator pitch.
What should I do after the Career Fair?
Let’s say a company does end of year reviews for the position you want to apply for. Ask yourself: what projects or work could I have done during the year to have gotten an excellent review? This serves as a good starting point to tackle first to gain relevant skills and experiences that the company wants you to have!
Also, if you feel that you’ve had a particularly good conversation with a recruiter, follow up with them (and maybe mention something from the conversation that made you memorable). You can also let them know that you’ve applied for the job posting.
You can also post about your experience on LinkedIn — and feel free to tag You’re Next Career Network!
If you are ever looking for more advice, check out the More Resources section below. Feel free to contact YNCN on social media or email for any other questions!
More Resources
- YNCN Winter Career Fair Registration
- YNCN Career Fair Information (website)
- YNCN Summit Information (website)
- YNCN Company List (website)
- YNCN’s Career Fair Tips
- General Virtual Career Fair Tips
- YNCN’s other resources (resume, cover letter, networking, interviewing, and more!)
If you found this content helpful, definitely connect with YNCN on social media to stay up to date on our future career development events, career fairs, and content! Follow us on Medium to never miss an update!
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