Virtual Career Fair Brings New Meaning to Job Hunting

While mitigation efforts amidst COVID-19 have required Baylor University to do many things differently this fall, the University’s Career Center continues to assist students in preparing for life after graduation, whether on the path to graduate school or the workforce. Students who are preparing to graduate or begin internships in their field of study will find invaluable resources and contacts through a Virtual Career Fair to be held on Wednesday, Sep. 23.

“We have continued to work very hard to make sure our students and employers have been able to stay in contact and continue active recruiting relationships. We are actively engaging Baylor students, from first-year to recent graduates, through numerous channels including email, phone calls, texts and the new Navigate app,” Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, marketing and graphic design specialist for the Career Center, said.

The Virtual Career Fair on Wednesday, Sep. 23, from 3 to 7 p.m., will take place via the CareerEco Platform, a technology ecosystem that provides innovative solution to organizations worldwide. More than 145 employers are expected to participate in the event, and are eager to find students of different majors, expertise and backgrounds.

Companies attending include:
• AT&T
• Reynolds and Reynolds
• Ruder Finn, Inc.
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Techtronic Industries, NA (TTI)

The virtual format provides the opportunity for greater participation, new employers and unique avenues of communication between students and prospective employers.

“At first, we were disappointed that we would have to adjust to a virtual career fair. However, we quickly realized that hosting a virtual career fair can be a benefit,” Cefaratti-Bertin said. “The limits on space for a live event and number of participants are gone, and we can open the event to more students and more employers in a way that meets more needs.”

The pandemic has caused concerns about the job market, particularly for graduating students. However, the Career Center is confident about students’ abilities to find jobs.

“Students need to be open-minded with their career ambitions. Our placements rate proves that Baylor students can find jobs despite the job market challenges. In the spring, we were encouraging our students to be flexible with their career goals as the job openings had shifted in response to COVID-19,” Cefaratti-Bertin said.

Cefaratti-Bertin went on to explain that despite the pandemic, graduating students have found success working with the professional staff in the Career Center — finding a job or pursuing graduate school. In fact, the student placement percentages are comparable to previous years.

“An incredible 79% of our spring 2020 undergraduate students experienced career success amid the COVID-19 crisis. This is with 99% of our graduating students reporting their career outcomes. We have found that 83% of students that engage with the Career Center team are ‘successful’ within 90 days of graduation,” Cefaratti-Bertin said.

Students can make an appointment with the Career Center through their Baylor Handshake account for help with résumé tailoring, graduate school applications or any other career needs.

For more information on how to register for the Virtual Career Fair, visit careereco.com.