The Ohio University Scripps College of Communication will host its spring career fair via Handshake on April 1 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The fair will be open to any student and they can register through Handshake. For the fair, Scripps has eight employers lined up to speak in 30-minute group sessions or 10-minute one-on-one sessions. The employers lined up include Cisco, Inspire PR Group, Meltwater Group, Quicken Loans, SSTI, the E.W. Scripps Company, WFXR and WLFI News 18.
“I encourage students that, even if they look at the employer list and they don't think there is anyone they're interested in working for, it's still a good experience to go in there and engage with employers and take advantage of the opportunity to just get that experience talking to them or seeing what's available or presenting their information to employers because you never know,” Erin Roberts, director of student development for Scripps, said.
Chip Mahaney, an emerging talent leader for the E.W. Scripps Company, has worked with college students over the years and made connections through career fairs in person. Now, like everybody else, he’s adjusting to the virtual realm.
“These virtual career fairs are brand new to us,” Mahaney said. “We're still trying to figure out what the right staffing and the right rhythm of actually doing work at them.”
Roberts said that it’s a weird experience having the career fair online. Her role will be as a facilitator to help employers or students with technical difficulties or questions.
“(For) our students, it is a different experience to have a virtual career fair,” Roberts said. “I would rather have one in person where there were lots of bowls of candy and other incentives for students to stop by and talk face-to-face, but this is a very good substitute for an actual career fair because, of course, we can't do that right now.”
In today’s environment, Roberts knows it can be tricky to make connections and look for a job or internship. Roberts said that even some alumni may attend the career fair to advance their job search.
“I’m worried that publications are going to want more from me as an intern, they’re going to want to see more,” Claire Del Vita, a freshman studying journalism, said. “I’m worried that I won’t have enough or what they’re looking for.”
Students may worry that the session would just be the employer talking to them about potential jobs.
“Different employers would each have a session with all the students and tell them about their job and what opportunities they could have,” Del Vita said. “The problem with that is that even if you’re not interested in the job, you would still have to listen to it.”
Students have the option to choose which employers they’d like to hear from or even speak to one on one. Mahaney said people never know who they could meet and could assist them later on.
“Someone you meet and strike up a conversation with, they might tell you about a position you didn't even know existed,” Mahaney said. “They might be looking for someone just like you with whatever unique skills and experiences and talents you bring.”
