Virtual Industrial Roundtable 2020: Recap

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LT Emily utilizing Career Fair Plus for video chats with company reps at virtual IR.

Industrial Roundtable (IR), which takes place at the beginning of the Fall semester every year, traditionally brings in hundreds of leading companies to campus to recruit Purdue Engineering students for full-time jobs, internships, and co-ops. Students spend the two days of the fair navigating Memorial Mall to talk to as many companies as they can, oftentimes getting caught up in crowds/lines. This year, however, due to the pandemic, IR looked a little different. The student-led career fair took place completely virtually, allowing students to sign-up in advance for a time slot to talk with a representative at their desired company. 

Companies held virtual seminars prior to the career fair to allow interested students to learn more about the company. Many also offered virtual interviews after the 10-minute window of conversation during the career fair. As a student interested in going into industry after graduation, I found the format of the virtual career fair to be amazing. The worry of trying to squeeze in time to talk to a company between classes was gone, and I did not have to wait outside in formal attire in the pouring rain or blazing sun!

The Career Center for Opportunities, or CCO, offered numerous videos and prep nights leading up to IR to prepare students for the virtual format, polish their elevator pitch, and workshop resumes. On the Career Fair Plus app, which was the platform used for the fair, students could create a profile and add major, intended graduation date, employment interest, and a resume for the ease of the recruiter. Students could then browse companies and sign up for time slots all on the same app. The process went very smoothly! I personally was worried about being able to make the same impression online rather than in-person, but my worries diminished as soon as I finished my first chat. I was also able to work on schoolwork and prepare for conversations between each, which allowed me to feel less stressed (as students have in the past due to spending time in lines).

Overall, Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC) successfully held a great career fair for engineering students despite the situation. I think that virtual career fairs are a great way to learn more about companies and potentially get a job offer, and could definitely become the norm in the future! If you have any questions regarding virtual IR or want to learn more about the Leadership Team's experience with it this year, reach out to us via email or social media (found below)!

Emily Hamman, Biomedical Engineering '21
WE Link Leadership Team

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Purdue Women in Engineering

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