UMSI Career Fair will explore advantages of virtual recruiting

Employer registration is now open for the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI) Winter Career Fair, taking place Thursday, Jan. 28.

In response to health and safety measures necessitated by the pandemic, the fair will take place online for the first time. Employers will meet virtually with UMSI students, who bring some of the most in-demand job skills to their workplaces.

“Virtual career fairs are proving to be an efficient and effective way for employers to recruit and stay engaged with students,” said Joanna Kroll, director of career development at UMSI.

UMSI Career Development Office (CDO) launched the school’s first career fair in 2016. Since then, UMSI has hosted hundreds of employers interested in recruiting the school’s students. Nearly 100 percent of recent UMSI graduates were working in their field of choice within six months of graduation.

Employers span industries including public and academic libraries, government agencies, healthcare, finance, digital agencies, consulting and technology. Many Michigan-based top companies have participated, as well as some of the world’s largest national and global companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Airbnb, Yelp,  CIA, Deloitte, IBM and Facebook.

Kroll said that more employers, particularly in growing industries such as food and beverage, delivery services, ecommerce, pharma, finance, communications, tech and healthcare, expect to be recruiting for greater numbers of positions this winter.

At the 2021 fair, employers can build a strong company brand with UMSI while networking with UMSI students interested in exploring different careers, job openings and internship opportunities.

“Many employers are finding that virtual campus recruiting brings a great deal of efficiency and accessibility to reach a broader audience of students,” said Kroll. “Some have even indicated that virtual recruiting can be more productive than in-person.” 

Virtual career fairs allow career offices to provide on-demand support and guidance for employers and students. They also offer more control for participating employers to set up their own schedules and time commitment, which creates a better atmosphere for more meaningful student engagement.

Kroll also noted that virtual career fairs are proving particularly effective for DEI recruiting strategies to target and expand accessibility to many more students through virtual platforms.

To streamline the user experience for participating employers, UMSI will be using an easy-to-navigate platform to ensure an engaging experience for all students and employers. 

Employers interested in participating in the 2021 UMSI Winter Career Fair can register with the Career Development Office by Thursday, Jan. 14.

- Kate Cammell, Writer UMSI