Preparation checklist:

Once you have registered for the fair go through the steps below to ensure that you are ready.

1. Have you added your participation aims and your skills in the Virtual Fairs Action Planner?
2. Have you logged on to the fair platform, updated your profile and booked some appointments?
3. Have you identified a suitable space and equipment to take part?
4. Have you completed some research for each employer?
5. Have you identified the questions you are going to ask and the information you want to come away with?

30 mins before:

• Make sure you have the following information to hand:
• Email or phone number for technical help
• Open your programme/schedule for the day 
• Open the email/notification with the online meeting link and passcode
• Open the Virtual Fairs Action Planner to take notes/save employer details
• Check your technology is working (internet connection, camera, mic) and check you can login
  
• Set an alarm on your phone for 30 minutes before the next activity 
• Practise/check you can log in – ready to go? Relax, have a cup of tea!

15 minutes before:

• Check your appearance on camera. Focus on clothing, hair, lighting, webcam angle and background (blurred, template image if available)
• Read any notes you’ve made about the employer beforehand
• Remind yourself of what questions you would like to ask/things you would like to find out.
• Remind anyone you live with not to disturb you
• Switch your phone to silent/airplane mode or turn it off.

5 minutes before:

• Take a few deep breaths to relax if you’re feeling nervous
• Get your notes page ready
• Remember to enjoy it!

Good luck!

When creating this toolkit employers spoke about wanting students to have fun and to be curious during conversations. They also want students to come to them with questions.

This section will give you confidence and direction to get the right information out of conversations. Use the Employer Conversations section of the Virtual Careers Fair Action Planner to record your notes.

Use the questions below as a starting point and use your own experience to put a spin on them.

Talking to recruiters

• Remove pressure from yourself and remember you are just having a conversation with someone who wants to give you information and help you.
• Turn your camera on
• Smile!
• Pick 4 or 5 questions to ask. Remember the key is to get information that will help you decide if the company is right for you, demonstrate your competence and get information that you can use to stand out in the recruitment process.
• There is no harm in dressing smartly, but you don’t have to just make sure you feel comfortable
• Avoid slang, profanity, emojis and abbreviations in the chat box
• Ensure you have a suitable professional photo on your profile. Do not use a filtered/blurry social media type photo
• Have your LinkedIn URL ready should you want to connect or if an employer would like to connect with you.

Questions to ask

1. What are the roles you are recruiting for? (Get the links)
2. Do you target any specific subject areas?
3. What are the key things that will make me stand out in the recruitment process?
4. Where do most people fall down? How can I avoid that?
5. What are the stages of the recruitment process?
6. How does the company culture celebrate diversity?
7. Ask about their experience and what they specifically love?
8. Do you offer any specific support relating to xxx?
9. What experience would I get here that I wouldn’t get with a different company?
10. What do people go on to do after the graduate scheme ends?
11. Use any research you have completed to ask questions such as: I read about xxxx how has that affected the company?
12. Can I add you to my network and contact you with any further questions?

According to research conducted whilst developing this toolkit the majority of students who participated in a virtual fair enjoyed the event but did not make any applications as a result of it. Other research has shown that students from underrepresented backgrounds make less graduate job applications on average, compared to other students.

The purpose of this section is to help you take the information you gained at the fair and create an achievable action plan to help you make high-quality applications.

Set yourself targets and reward yourself when you complete them.

Guides to support with:

• Creating a CV
• Application forms 
• Psychometric tests
• Video interviews
• Interviews and assessment centres 
• Sharing information about disabilities

Lots of students do not know anyone in the industries in which they aspire to work, but many will gather recruiters' contact information at the fair and never use them. Virtual fairs are a great opportunity to gain informal mentors and make audacious moves, such as completing work experience with them.

Having a network can help you with standard job applications, as well as opening up hidden opportunities.

Resilience is having the ability to develop positive coping mechanisms and strength to overcome difficult situations that can challenge us.

Virtual fairs are often exciting events, the application process afterwards can be a long slog. Use the SMART goals section of the Virtual Fairs Action Planner to help you keep going until you secure graduate level employment.

Almost all students and graduates will have multiple rejections and set-backs when applying for jobs the  key is how you move forward from these setbacks. You need to draw upon ways to overcome disappointment and strive to find ways to remain positive and learn from difficult experiences.

How can we build resilience?