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Monday-Friday: 10 am–12 pm and 1–4 pm

Contact:
Fernando, Gihan S
Assistant Vice Provost

Butler Pavilion, Room 5th Floor on a map

Career Center 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8033-8011 United States

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Virtual Job & Internship Fair Spring 24 Wednesday, March 27 from 1-4pm ET | Hosted Virtually on Handshake

Each year, the AU Career Center hosts a fall and spring job and internship fair, as well as additional, industry-specific fairs and networking receptions. Attend these in-person and virtual events to discover and network employers.

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Tune in to Second Tips and Tricks Episode

Get Ready for the Spring 24 Virtual Job & Internship Fair with Fair Prep Events & Master Your Fair Day Planning!

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Spring 24 Job and Internship Fair Prep Events

Prepare yourself with AU Career Center Prep Events, offering both In-person and Virtual Resume Stations.

Fair Prep Events

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Get ready for the Spring 24 Virtual Job & Internship Fair

Tune in to AU Career Center's first Tips and Tricks Podcast Episode.

Explore the Podcast

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HOW ARE YOU FAIR-ING?

Learn the art of planning and scheduling your fair sessions, whether you can only stay for an hour, 1-2 hours, or 2-3 hours.

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Registration is open!

Register today to secure your spot and meet your target employers virtually on Handshake, Wednesday, March 27, from 1-4 pm ET.

Register Here

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How to make the most of the Virtual Fair

Exclusive interview with Julie Jones and Liz Romig, directors from the AU Career Center.

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Learn more about preparing for the Virtual Job & Internship Fair

Explore a resource to help you navigate the fair platform and have the best virtual fair experience possible. Only students with an AU Handshake account can register for the virtual Fair!

Get ready for the Spring Job & Internship Fair 2024 | Wednesday, March 27 from 1-4pm ET, Hosted Virtually on Handshake


Job & Internship Fair Prep Events

Watch recordings of prep events from past fairs.

When deciding which employers to visit or meet with at the job and internship fairs, consider these questions:

  • Why does this organization interest me? (Their mission or values? The type of work they do? The work environment?)
  • What skills, experience, or qualities do I have that would benefit the organization? Think about previous jobs or community service work, positions in clubs, courses you've taken, etc.
  • What do I want to know about this organization that isn't readily available on their website/social media? This will help you ask a smart question that shows you've done your research.

In-Person Fair

Use the Job & Internship Fair app to start researching employers. The app is also where the map of the fair will be published the day before the fair. You can search employers by the type of positions for which they're hiring (full- or part-time, fellowship, or internship), by degree area (arts, business, communications, etc.), and by diversity initiatives (equal opportunity for LGBTQA, underrepresented groups, veterans, persons with disabilities, etc.). You can also save favorite employers and take notes right in the app.

  • Use Career Fair Plus to mark favorite employers, make notes, etc. Download the app to your phone to take your notes with you. A map of employers will be added several days before the fair--help us save on paper maps!

Virtual Fair

Review the list of employers attending the virtual fair on Handshake. Decide which employers you want to talk to, pre-schedule your one-on-ones and group sessions, research the employers, and plan what questions you'll ask. 

In-Person Fair

  • Print 10-15 copies of your resume to bring to the fair
  • Bring a pen, and if you choose, your business cards

Virtual Fairs

  • Upload a resume to your Handshake profile, then click the "Feature on Profile" button to make the document public. When you sign up for sessions, employers will be able to see your profile.
  • As back up, consider saving your resume to Google Drive or a similar platform. Have the link ready to share with employers during one-on-one sessions at the fair. 

When you speak with employers at the in-person or virtual fair, you want to give a short pitch that sets you apart and quickly summarizes your skills and interest in their organization.

Watch the recording of our Tell Me About Yourself: Mastering the Elevator Pitch workshop to help you prepare your introduction.

You can also practice your pitch using Big Interview (Handshake log-in required). 

We recommend dressing professionally for in-person and virtual fairs. One-on-one sessions at virtual fairs have the option for Handshake video. Dressing as if you were attending an in-person fair will also help you feel more confident. 

  • Check out our guidelines on professional image
  • Plan your outfit in advance; you can always message it to us via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (@aucareercenter), or email us if you have questions!

In-Person Fair

  • After you decide what to wear, clean and press your outfit before the fair.

Virtual Fair

  • Think about where you'll be during the fair and what your background will look like. Unlike Zoom, Handshake will not allow you to choose a background image. 
  • If possible, try to find a quiet space to attend the fair to minimize interruptions

(Virtual fairs only) Sign up for 10-minute 1:1 sessions and/or group sessions with employers -- learn how

Virtual job fairs on Handshake allow employers to meet with you in group sessions or one-on-ones. While you can sign up for group sessions up to one minute before the start time, we recommend planning ahead and signing up early! Once a session has started, you'll be unable to sign up for it.

You'll want to make time to work on your Handshake profile. Pay attention to the following settings:  

  • Privacy - Read carefully to understand how your privacy settings in Handshake will affect your ability to participate in the fair. Your privacy is important to us.

    • To register for fair sessions or meetings, your Handshake privacy settings must be set to either Community or Employer.
    • The Community setting provides full fair participation by letting you register for group sessions and one-on-one meetings. It also makes your profile visible to employers, students, and alumni across all Handshake colleges and universities.
    • The Employer setting provides partial fair participation by letting you register for one-on-one sessions only. It also makes your profile visible to all employers in Handshake. Students and alumni at other Handshake colleges and universities cannot see your profile.
    • Students cannot register for the fair with the Private setting selected. However, students who prefer this setting can easily re-select it at the conclusion of the fair.
    • Employers participating in the fair cannot access a broad list of participants. They can only access lists of students who interact with them directly during the fair.
  • GPA - Employers may set a GPA requirement for one-on-one sessions. Consider adding your cumulative GPA to your Handshake profile to maximize your eligibility for one-on-one sessions. First-year students, use your most recent high school or undergrad GPA. Update your GPA under Profile > Education. 

  • Work authorization  - When registering for sessions, you may have to answer questions about work authorization. Regardless of how you answer, you'll be able to participate in the fair.

  • Review Handshake's guides to attending a virtual fair, signing up for & managing virtual fair sessions, participating in a virtual fair, and the platform's video requirements

Get ready for the Spring 24 Virtual Job & Internship Fair

Wednesday, March 27 from 1-4pm ET | Hosted Virtually on Handshake

Job & Internship Fair Prep Events