I'm a job seeker. What can I expect at the Transportation Career Fair?
The Transportation Career Fair is just around the corner, and we can't wait to connect job seekers with fantastic organizations. If you've never attended a virtual career fair, or even if you have, you might have questions about what to expect. To help you make the most out of your experience, we've prepared a detailed walkthrough for you to ensure your questions are addressed. We can't wait to see you there!
Event logistics
The fair takes place on Tuesday, May 21 from 12 to 3 p.m. During these three hours, recruiters from each participating organization will be at virtual booths. You'll be emailed a link on the day of the event that you can click to join. From there, you can select the booths you'd like to visit and connect via video with representatives from each employer. The number of booths you'll visit is up to you, but we encourage you to attend as many as possible. Making new connections is never a bad thing!
In addition to visiting the booths, you can also attend virtual panels focused on professional development. There, you'll hear from current professionals about their experience and advice.
The fair is hosted through Whova, which is a virtual event platform. Whova recommends that you use Google Chrome for the best experience.
The importance of career fairs
Career fairs are an excellent way to learn about open and future roles in your industry. Better yet, you can have one-on-one interactions with recruiters from leading employers. This provides unique insight into aspects of the job like organizational culture and goals. You can meet with many employers in a relatively short time and make a great first impression.
A virtual career fair is especially helpful if you're exploring roles in other locations. From the comfort of your computer, you can connect with recruiters from various states and geographies.
An unmissable opportunity for students
This experience is especially valuable for students as it will expose you to positions in various sectors of transportation. Whether you're interested in pursuing a job in planning, engineering, sustainability, environment, marketing, communications, or other transportation-related fields, it's great to learn what types of roles are available.
You don't need to be graduating this year to start thinking about your future career. You can hear from employers about a diverse range of positions. From there, you can consider the types of roles you'd like to work in! It's never too early to start preparing for your career. Plus, you might want to remember these organizations if a future internship or full-time role arises.
How to prepare
- Make sure you're registered for the event: ACT needs to grant attendees access to the Whova platform, so the earlier you're in the system, the better! If you haven't done so already, you can register at this link.
- Get your resume ready: A professional resume is required for most jobs applications, and having a polished document can help you stand out from other applicants. Before the event, review yours and ensure it reflects your most up-to-date information. There are many resources available online, and many universities offer support as well. Make sure to have a PDF file on hand.
- Review the list of employers: Check out the list of participating organizations and take some time to review their websites and social media. Researching them can help you come prepared with fantastic questions. You can view the list here.
- Set up your environment and test your camera: One of the benefits of a virtual event is that you can attend from anywhere. However, it's important to ensure that your space is as ready for success as you are. Make sure that you're in a quiet well-lit space with an appropriate background behind you. Try opening up Zoom or a similar app to check how you'll appear on camera.
- Dress professionally: Though you won't be physically in the same room as employers, dressing professionally is important - and it can also help you feel more confident. Pick out your favorite professional outfit and get ready to make a great first impression.
Questions about the career fair can be directed to Elizabeth Denton at edenton@actweb.org.
Still need to register?
Students, recent graduates, and other job seekers can visit the link below to sign up for free.