Spotlight for Career Services Professionals

What types of on-campus events are most productive for small colleges in connecting employers and students, beyond career fairs?

In a recent conversation in the NACE Community, practitioners offered their own solutions, favoring events and activities that focus on engagement, help students gain insight into careers, and build and their networking skills. Among their recommendations:

• Offer professional networking opportunities with specific themes—For example, one day recruiters and alumni are on campus representing corporate America. On another day, the topic may be sports, marketing, and communications. On a third, healthcare. Students meet with employers they find interesting, and employers get a chance to have more intimate interactions with students. It also engages alumni in networking with students.
• Hold an annual networking event—Invite local employers and alumni to meet with student so the students can learn about careers and practice their networking skills. Prior to the event, hold an etiquette dinner for students to prepare them.

Others also recommended smaller-scale networking and career-learning events, such as employer-led career panels held over lunch, panels featuring recent graduates, and mock interview sessions.

Do you have suggestions for bringing employers together with students? Join the conversation in the NACE Community.