As the Winter Career Fair approaches on Feb. 5, the Career and Life Design Center (CLDC) prepares staff and students to navigate the networking experience of the semester.
“It’s a team effort that requires attention to detail at every step,” Sarah Sawrz, marketing and events coordinator for the CLDC, said. “From working closely with University Communications and Marketing to create engaging promotional materials to build out a marketing plan and connecting with employers.”
With an average of four months of preparation, the center also trains CLDC coaches and career ambassadors to guide students through interviews, networking and resume-building.
“January or the month prior to the fair is like the busiest month,” CLD coach, Yejie Lee, said. “The career ambassadors hold several workshops. We always open up our studio for two more hours, so from five to seven, we always have those evening hours where students can drop in to get their resume fixed up or ask any questions.”
While coaches and ambassadors meet with students and alumni to refine cover letters and elevator pitches, the rest of the staff works on connecting with attending employers, crafting new events and improving how they can connect students with career opportunities.
“Big Interview is like an AI tool that we use to scan resumes in and we choose a resume guide, we call it, or a scoring guide that’s specific for your major or career path, then it will make suggestions for improvement,” Lee said. “Then the ambassador will just walk you through that, the feedback and help you actually make that onto your own.”
As a way to keep up with the technology and automation that employers use nowadays, Lee explained that the software system also provides remote assistance to students in the form of mock interviews, communication tips and elevator pitch suggestions.
“So something that we’re trying to do this year is to move into more of a technology space,” Lee said about a virtual career fair map in the works. “It’ll take you to a booth map saying their location, job positions and be able to open more information about them.”
Beyond the screen, the CLDC has been working more closely with dozens of employers to help students prepare for career fairs.
“We tried this out last semester for the first time — this panel, plus a mock fair,” Lee said. “Employers would sort of set up their table, just as they would an affair, and then students get to come up to them and practice, and then they’ll give them a little bit of feedback.”
Once the fair rolls around, the center maintains communication with employers and students alike looking for feedback to improve attendance and hires as the years progress.
“By far, the most important data we gather after a career fair are the number of interviews and hires made by employers of students and alumni who attended,” Sawrz said. “We also gather valuable feedback from both employers and students after the fair. This helps us continuously improve the experience and find new ways for employers to connect with the Oakland University community.”
Getting students to prepare and customize their experience by attending career fair prep events is still the most challenging part of the process but also the most gratifying, Lee explained.
“Really preparing individuals for the fair, and in these types of appointments, is the most exciting part,” Lee said. “Also getting to see them at an appointment and then I see them at the fair and you tell me later on how it went, that’s kind of that whole cycle that really makes me proud.”
Updating LinkedIn profiles, practicing your elevator pitch and being on the lookout for career fair prep events and appointments were some of the last tips offered by CLD coaches.
