Virginia Tech career fairs

How many career fairs are held through Virginia Tech?

• In 2024-2025, up to 30 Virginia Tech career fairs could be held. Each year there are fairs that have been held for many years, and newer fairs that are developed.
• Listed by semester; dates added when known:
  - fall semester career fairs
  - spring semester career fairs.

Who hosts the career fairs?

• The host of each fair is shown on the fair lists for fall and spring semesters.
• Most fairs are hosted by an academic college, department(s), school, or student organization, and are intended to serve their students and related industries.
• Career and Professional Development (CPD) hosts fairs open to employers recruiting Virginia Tech students for any career field and major.

What if there is not a career fair for my college or major?

• Career and Professional Development (CPD) hosts fairs open to employers who recruit for any career field, and who may seek students from a variety of majors.
  This helps employers whose hiring needs are not limited to one college or major.
  Before the fair, you research the employers attending to see if any match your career goals.
• The employment world is not organized by academic major.
  Think in terms of the job function and types of employers you are seeking.
  Look at each career fair and research employers attending to determine if any match your career goals and qualifications.
• Some departments and colleges host other types of career events for students.
  Career fairs are not the only events that help you network and meet employers.
  Read the websites of your major department and your college; read emails and other communication from them. Keep yourself informed.
• Expand your opportunities.
  Not all employers attend Virginia Tech career fairs.
  Virtual fairs give you access to more employers.
  See CareerEco virtual fairs, which have been held for many years prior to the pandemic; some focus on career fields, industries, or job-seeker populations.
• Some Virginia Tech fairs are hosted by career-related student organizations.
  Consider if your student organization would want to take on the responsibility of hosting a small career fair or networking event.
  Consult your academic department for advice and guidance on the level of responsibilty and professionalism this entails.
• Not all employers need to attend career fairs to fill their internship and job openings.
  Think about the time, effort, and expense for an organization to attend even one fair, and to attend fairs at multiple universities.
  Many kinds of employers do not find that necessary or cost-effective to do their recruiting and hiring.
  Become familiar with the hiring practices in your career field and/or industry.

Which career fairs should students attend?

• At each fair, a wide variety of employers might participate, and each employer specifies their own hiring needs for majors, academic levels, and types of hires including internships, co-ops, and post-grad jobs.
• Your decision should hinge on researching each EMPLOYER attending a fair. Avoid making your decision on the name of the fair alone.
• If even one employer is a match for your qualifications and interests, go to speak to that employer!
• Do not take an employer's presence on campus for granted. Those employers are spending time and money to travel to campus to talk with students.
• The employment world is not organized by majors and colleges. Some employers seek professional qualities and personal characteristics that are not exclusive to any major. Some employers seek applicants from specific majors. Some employers seek applicants in a variety of majors and colleges.
• Be aware: employer representatives at a fair might not know all the hiring needs of the organization, especially if the reps are not from their human resources department.
• Unsure if you are ready to participate in a fair? Try volunteering. Being a volunteer gives you a reason and purpose to participate in a fair, and structure on how to interact. That could involve helping employers carry supplies, delivering water, etc. That will help you see the event from a different viewpoint, and demystify the event, helping you when you are ready to participate as a job-seeker. To find out about volunteering, look at each fair webpage, and/or contact the sponsor, and watch for publicity seeking student volunteers.

I'm a student. How can I be successful at a career fair?

• The best way to have success at a fair is to do two things:
  • First, plan in advance which employers to connect with based on your research, and have a customized introduction.
    Example: I’m interested in your organization because of the opportunity to work in a project team….”
    Never ask, “what does your company do?”
  • Second, participate with willingness to be flexible and adaptable in connecting with employers. Be ready for the unexpected, and be personable, friendly, and a good listener.
• More on how to prepare for a career fair, including dress codes, bringing copies of your resume, and what to expect.
• You are always welcome to seek advising when you are thinking about whether to attend a career fair. We encourage you to plan in advance. Demand for advising is higher when career fair dates are approaching.

For employers: Which Virginia Tech career fairs should our organization attend?

• For advice on which Virginia Tech fair(s) can best serve your recruiting needs, please contact our employer relations staff in Career and Professional Development. We are here to advise and assist you.
• We know your time is valuable, and that you incur expenses to participate in fairs. With so many Virginia Tech fairs, we understand that choosing among them can be confusing. We want to assist you in selecting events that will work best for your recruiting goals!

For employers with operational questions about a specific career fair:

• There is a contact person for each fair. The fair lists include links to the fair webpage maintained by the host, where they should provide details for both employers and students, along with contact information. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the contact person if you need specific details about attending their fair.

For employers: How to be successful at a fair:

• The Richmond Chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, which has hosted fall and spring fairs in past years (RVA career expo), provides excellent advice for employers on sending the right reps, being prepared, and successfully interacting with candidates.

• For complete information on each fair, including location, registration, guidelines on who may attend, and contact for questions, see the event webpage or contact host.
• Career and Professional Development does not control fairs and webpages hosted by academic colleges and departments or other organizations; event details could be posted or change without our knowledge. We are happy to help students and employers choose fairs and prepare!
• Employers: Please contact CPD employer relations staff for advice on which fair(s) meet your needs.

• For complete information on each fair, including location, registration, guidelines on who may attend, and contact for questions, see the event webpage or contact host.
• Career and Professional Development does not control fairs and webpages hosted by academic colleges and departments or other organizations; event details could be posted or change without our knowledge. We are happy to help students and employers choose fairs and prepare!
• Employers: Please contact CPD employer relations staff for advice on which fair(s) meet your needs.