This year’s virtual career fair was marked with the slogan “you snooze you lose”. With swift registration and eager participation, interview slots filled up rapidly, leaving many students scrambling to secure their place. If you attempted to schedule your interviews on Tuesday, aka the night before, you were likely faced with disappointment—there were none. By Wednesday, the day of the fair, it seemed as though a mysterious “sickness” spread throughout campus. Classes were sparsely attended with professors receiving a significant amount of emails about being sick, but students were miraculously feeling better to attend their job interviews.
With the increased amount of sickness, there is an increased amount of attendance from both companies and students. Though a key improvement over last year’s event was the stability of the website. In 2023, constant crashes disrupted the fair, but this year’s platform held up remarkably well, putting students at ease and letting them focus on the task at hand: making a strong impression. With the improvement of the website, there was also improvement to the companies.
The virtual fair featured an impressive array of companies. Big names like BMW Group, General Dynamics, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, L3 Harris, Lockheed Martin, PNC, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, TD Bank, the U.S. Navy and 67 other outstanding companies were all present. In total, 78 employers from various industries made an appearance. Many of the interviewers were alumni, providing current students with a comforting sense of familiarity that helped calm the nerves of even the most anxious interviewees.
Despite the wide range of opportunities, some students expressed frustration with the lack of preparation leading up to the event. Traditionally, in-person fairs are preceded by a “prep week” filled with resume reviews, mock interviews, and company research sessions. However, for the virtual edition, no such effort was made. Students felt left to navigate the event on their own, which for many was a daunting task.
In the end, while the fair had its shortcomings, it provided a crucial platform for students to connect with potential employers in a range of industries, and the improved technology offered a smoother experience compared to last year.
