For employers: holding information sessions for students

Format for information sessions:

• Information sessions may be virtual or in person, subject to university guidelines for safety and university and public health guidelines.

Tips for successful information sessions

• When to conduct your information sessions:
  • Sessions held before the student application deadline to apply for your jobs will raise student awareness of your organization and increase the number of resumes you receive for your on-campus interviews.
  • Sessions held the day prior to your interviews will enable you to efficiently share information you want all your interviewees to know, and enable interview time to be spent more effectively. This may also help put your interviewees at ease.
• Your presenter should know your organization very well, and be approachable, whether the session is virtual or in person. If the session is the first contact with your organization for students, your presenter will strongly influence students' impressions.
• We recommend that information sessions last no longer than one hour, including time for questions.
• If in person, we encourage you to provide refreshments. Please contact us for recommendations for local caterers.
  Offering door prizes or give-aways can be a nice ice-breaker with students.

Scheduling and publicity

• To schedule a virtual session, or an in-person in the Smith Career Center: contact our employer relations staff. Your session will be visible to students in Handshake.
• If you wish to schedule an in-person session elsewhere on campus: contact Virginia Tech Event Services who will assist you; that office will then notify Career and Professional Development of your arrangements, and your information session can be listed in Handshake.
• If you schedule an in-person session at an off-campus location: please contact our employer relations staff if you would like your event listed in Handshake.
• You may wish to actively invite students through direct contact.