CareerFIRE: Students

STUDENT REGISTRATION BEGINS Sunday September 6th, 7:00 PM Eastern Time.
Want to get ready and learn how this year’s event will be different?  Click here for Handshake’s Student Resources!

Thank you to our sponsoring employers!

Why is pre-registration by students important?  By registering in advance of this event, students will have the opportunity to sign up to attend group sessions (up to 50 individuals total, with employers offering brief overviews of their organizations and recruiting needs), as well as individual 1-to-1, 10 minute meetings with recruiters and employees representing their organizations.  Sign-ups are on a first-come, first-served basis so please mark the date and time on your calendar (and note any relevant time changes)

Please note:  CareerFIRE is open only to University of Pennsylvania traditionally residential undergraduate and graduate students, and alumni; this event is not open to students completing online degree programs, Penn Medicine (MD), MBA, Law students or the general public.  Without a valid University of Pennsylvania Handshake account, attendees will not be permitted to register for this event.

Best Candidate Practices for the Career Fair

1.  Register for the event and update your Handshake profile completely as employers will be able to see it.

• Be sure to complete all fields in your Handshake profile including job and industry interests.
• To sign up for Group or 1:1 sessions, your profile privacy setting will need to be set to “Community” or “Employers”.
• Because employers can set requirements on the following fields for eligibility to sign up for 1:1 meetings in the virtual career fairs, make sure that the basics are accurate: graduation date, school year, major, GPA and work authorization. Click on the pencil icon in your Handshake profile to make any necessary changes.  Students who have not yet declared a major or concentration should feel free to add their intended choice.  Since only one school automatically transfers into Handshake, dual degree students should add their second school. Note to transfer students, first-year graduate students, certain PhD students, and post-docs:  If you don’t have a Penn GPA, put in the GPA from your previous institution or previous degree for the career fairs so that you are not screened out based on not having a GPA in the system.

2. Even though the event is online, dress in business casual – you may be engaging in video chats and we want you to look your best!

3.  Spend a bit of time researching the organizations attending by browsing the list of registrants on Handshake.  Identify the organizations with which you wish to engage so that you can plan your time strategically.

4. Before you log in for a group session or join a  1:1 meeting,  think about the research you’ve done. What do you already know about the employer? Think of questions that you can ask to help you understand what the organization is seeking and to learn of their hiring timelines and processes. Be prepared to give a brief summary of the type of work you are seeking. Be prepared to say a little bit about yourself (interests, projects, research, goals, etc.)

5.  Try your best to not be nervous by remembering the recruiters want to speak with you!

6. Don’t be afraid to initiate the conversation – you can start with your name, major or program, and with a thanks to the employer for participating!  You can initiate further conversation by sharing what brought you to engage with this employer, and by asking informed questions about specific roles, the organization, and the recruiting process.

7. If you would like to continue the conversation beyond the virtual fair, don’t be afraid to ask!  You can certainly say in closing, “I’d like to speak with you further, but I realize we are almost out of time. May we reconnect when you have more time?  If you want to pursue a job with a recruiter, make sure you know what to do next (ie. apply through their online portal, submit your resume for their on-campus interview schedule, etc.).

8. Quickly during the event, or even just after, jot down some information about your conversation with each representative to whom you spoke.  Sending thank you notes (by email is fine) is recommended for those companies with opportunities you are especially interested in pursuing. Try to trigger the representative’s memory of you by stating something that you had discussed with him or her.