It may seem like the pandemic has put the world on pause, says UAB Career Center Director Brandon Wright, but there are still opportunities for UAB students and alumni to make their next professional moves.
The numbers speak for themselves, Wright says: In the past 30 days alone, nearly 150 internships have been posted on Handshake, UAB’s online recruiting system, and more than 500 companies have listed jobs on the platform.
“We are getting inquiries from employers every single day,” he continued. “We know that the media promotes the unemployment rates and that can seem demoralizing, but there are so many opportunities available.”
To best showcase the opportunities available to UAB students and graduates, the Career Center is partnering with more than 20 universities from Conference USA and Sun Belt Conference to host the first Southern Alliance Virtual Career Fair June 16. The event, which promotes the UAB shared value of collaboration and is hosted through recruiting platform CareerEco, is open at no cost to all UAB students and alumni; registration for employers is open through June 12, and participants can register even during the fair.
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“We know that the media promotes the unemployment rates and that can seem demoralizing, but there are so many opportunities available.” |
More than 100 employers are already registered to host virtual booths at the fair, for which registered participants can queue for individual or group meetings with representatives. Participating employers include companies such as Aflac, Charter Schools USA and Fidelity Investments Inc., among others, from states ranging from Texas to Maryland. Wright says originally, he anticipated only 40 or so employers would host booths.
“I think it’s a good sign,” he continued. “Hopefully our students can see that even if they lost certain opportunities [during the COVID-19 pandemic], that could have been because it wasn’t the right company for you from a long-term perspective. This is much bigger than we thought.”
Although this year’s career fair is a virtual experience, Wright says it’s important for participants to present themselves professionally — and recommends specifically to ensure they have a stable and fast Wi-Fi connection. Visit uab.edu/freeWiFi to find free hotspots nearby to ensure the internet doesn’t cut out unexpectedly, and read this guide from the UAB Reporter on how to avoid being that person on video calls.
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Visit uab.edu/freeWiFi to find free hotspots nearby to ensure the internet doesn’t cut out unexpectedly, and read this guide from the UAB Reporter on how to avoid being that person on video calls. |
And be sure to do due diligence before participating in a virtual meeting with a company representative, Wright advises. So much information is available about employers online, so take advantage of it, and do the research. All employer websites are linked in the fair’s registry portal.
“Be able to go into these meetings and have very well-thought-out questions,” Wright said. “Do your research and know why you’re there.”
Find more resources, access Handshake, browse a career guide and more at uab.edu/students/careercenter.
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