Handshake provides an innovative solution to help employers engage with students in a virtual fair environment.
We support 1:1 video chats and large-group video events that create a dynamic virtual environment for engaging and meaningful interactions.
- Participate in university-sponsored virtual career fairs through Handshake, with registration options varying per institution, similar to in-person fairs.
- Conduct 1:1 meetings or small-group information sessions during the virtual career fair
Topics:
- Register for virtual fairs
- Set your schedule
- Pay any registration fees required by the institution
- Ask teammates to claim their schedules
- Manage schedule
- Preparing for the day of a Virtual Fair
- Encourage session signups
- Host sessions day of the fair
- Follow up with students after the fair
- Additional resources
Register for virtual fairs
To engage with students, you will need to have an approved registration for a fair. Review Identifying and Registering for Virtual Fairs.
- Tip: be sure to connect current job openings with your registration - this highlights opportunities for students participating in the fair.
Set your schedule
After the institution approves your fair registration, you will need to create the initial schedule for your company profile in Handshake. The schedule can consist of only group sessions, 1:1 sessions, or a combination of both, depending on your company's goals for connecting with students.
Each registration allows for a maximum of 100 teammates to be assigned to group and/or 1:1 sessions.
Learn more about Creating a Schedule for Virtual Fairs.
Add group sessions
Add 1:1 sessions and set qualifications
- Tip: explore our Diversity & Inclusion guide to help guide you through each step of the diversity hiring process.
Pay any registration fees required by the institution.
Ensure you pay for your registration as required by the host institution. Learn How to Pay for a Career Fair Registration.
Ask teammates to claim their schedules
After the schedule has been created, your teammates will be able to claim their schedules in two ways.
They can either click the link in the email sent to them, or they can log in to Handshake, navigate to the fair, and then click on the Schedules tab to claim their schedule.
For additional details, refer to Claiming & Participating in a Schedule.
Manage schedule
Once the initial schedule for your company has been created, you’ll be able to manage the schedule as needed. Learn more about Managing Schedules for Virtual Fairs.
Encourage session signups
Students will be responsible for signing up for all sessions, as employers will not be able to invite them directly to their schedules. We recommend messaging students at the host institution on Handshake and encouraging them to register for your sessions.
The sooner your teammates can claim their schedules, the better, as this allows students to have more signup options available.
*Premium employers can utilise campaigns to promote their participation and encourage students to sign up for sessions.
Preparing for the day of a virtual fair
Prior to the fair, there are some steps you can take to ensure a seamless and successful event.
Review these best practices we've gathered from our experiences in past seasons in Preparing for the Day-of a Virtual Fair.
Host sessions on the day of the fair
Employers can start sessions up to 60 minutes in advance, and students can join up to five minutes before the scheduled start time to test their connection. Learn more about Hosting Virtual Fair Sessions.
Follow up with students after the fair
After your career fair sessions are over, followup with participants for next steps. This may include sending them additional information about your company, thanking them for their time, or setting up interviews for potential job opportunities. For more information, refer to Following Up After a Virtual Fair.