From Sept. 14-18, The Center for Academic and Professional Success (CAPS) will host the Recruit a Shark Virtual Career Expo in partnership with the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement (SLCE), the Office of Undergraduate Research and NSU Colleges. The event provides an opportunity for students to connect with employers and admissions representatives recruiting for internships, jobs, volunteer positions, research positions and more. The event is open to all NSU students and alumni, offering something for everyone.
Emilio Lorenzo, associate director of employer relations for CAPS, said, “Whatever career field you’re going into, there’s something for everyone. Especially in a time like this, where COVID-19 has affected the industries, gaining experience while you have your student status has never been more important.”
Niemah Butler, the assistant director of employer relations in the Office of Academic and Career Success, acknowledged that large scale career fairs can be intimidating to students.
“Even prior to COVID-19 we had decided that instead of doing one large event we would do smaller events because that is something students have been asking for,” said Butler.
In contrast to Recruit a Shark events in the past, this year’s event will be industry-specific, giving students a more individualized networking experience.
To see the breakdown of the days, as well as check out employers attending the event, students can log into Handshake with their NSU credentials. On Handshake, students will be able to view the dates and sessions for each industry and major-specific event, as well as which employers will be in attendance. After registering for the event, students will have the opportunity to pick which days and which employer sessions they wish to attend. While the days are separated to give students a more targeted career fair experience, they are encouraged to sign up for as many days and sessions as time allows. Registration for each employer, group and individual session will be available for all students. On the day of the event, students simply have to log in to their Handshake accounts, find the sessions they registered for and virtually attend.
Since students will be meeting with professionals from various companies and organizations, business professional clothing is required and Butler recommends that students prepare to carry themselves in a professional manner.
“Because it is a professional event, one thing we want to be mindful of is testing technology in advance — that your audio [and] cameras are working,” said Butler.
In addition to checking technology in advance, having a quiet, distraction-free zone is also important. If students are attending from the comfort of their room, for example, they should consider adding a preset professional background to the camera before the sessions start and limiting background noise and other distractions. Additionally, students should have a digital resume on hand to share or send to employers during their sessions.
As Butler expressed, “The method has changed, but the message has not.” Taking a few extra steps to make sure you are portraying yourself professionally, even in a virtual setting, can have a big impact.
For questions or more information, students are encouraged to visit Handshake or contact The Center for Academic and Professional Success at (954) 262-7201 or careerfair@nova.edu.
