As Redbirds continue to thrive during the pandemic, Career Services is pleased to announce it is offering virtual career fairs. Redbirds can connect with employers from all industries, including Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and others to network and learn about their open positions, all from their desktop.

Fall fair list

The following is a list of the fairs being held this fall through Career Services.

  • School of Information Technology Fair, Monday, September 14, connects employers seeking Redbirds majoring in information technology for a variety of information technology internships and full-time positions.
  • Fall Internship Fair, Tuesday, September 15, connects employers with Redbirds from all majors seeking internship opportunities.
  • Accounting Career Fair, Friday, September 18, connects employers with Redbirds who are majoring in accounting and seeking an accounting position.
  • Meet the Firms Actuarial Employment Event, Monday, September 21, connects actuarial recruiters with students majoring in actuarial science to present themselves to students and collect students’ resumes for internships and jobs.
  • Construction Management Career Fair, Thursday, September 24, connects recruiters with Redbirds seeking full-time or internship positions in construction management, safety, and renewable energy.
  • Fall Career Fair, Tuesday, September 29, connects employers with Redbirds from all majors seeking full-time positions.
  • Department of Agriculture Career Fair, Thursday, October 1, connects recruiters with Redbirds who are seeking positions in the agriculture industry.
  • Fall Education and Student Teacher Career Fair, Friday, November 6, connects school administrators, superintendents, and other employers from the field of education seeking Redbirds as student teachers, and related fields for open positions.
  • Health, Human and Public Service Career Fair, Thursday, November 19, connects recruiters from hospitals, health and human service organizations, and public and social service agencies seeking to hire candidates interested in full-time employment and internship experiences in health care, criminal justice, political science, and those interested in working in nonprofit and government.

Important information for Illinois State students

To help attendees prepare for the virtual fairs, Career Services is offering the following resources and events to Redbirds:

  • InstaCareer – career preparation sessions in which participants learn first-hand from recruiters how to introduce themselves well to employers, how to make a good first impression, how to dress appropriately online, and how to best research and follow-up with employers after career events. One date is specifically for education majors.
  • Navigating a Virtual Fair – held four times throughout the semester, Redbirds will gain quick tips on how to navigate the virtual fairs held on Hire-A-Redbird, learn the difference between professional and casual interactions, discover how to present a 30-second commercial/elevator pitch, and identify what should and should not be done when communicating with employers in virtual settings.
  • Tips for how to navigate a virtual fair – learn how to not only navigate the fair, but how to effectively dress, set-up your seating space, and more.
  • Career Resource Guide – a booklet filled with helpful tips and advice such as how to construct an effective resume/curriculum vitae and cover letter, commonly asked interview questions, and more.
  • Drop-in hours and Late-night Resume Reviews – virtual support available from trained Career Services student representatives.
  • Symplicity Jobs and Careers app – free app to explore the employers attending the fair to identify which you most want to meet, to research their organization, or just to let them know you want to connect with them.
  • Social media – join the Career Center on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for fair updates and other helpful preparation tips.

Important information for alumni

Career Services continues to support the careers of Redbird alumni beyond their time at Illinois State. In addition to the resources above, alumni are welcome to participate in any of the department’s career events, including virtual career fairs. However, because the fairs are being held virtually, alumni must register in order to gain access to the career fairs. Alumni who have graduated recently, simply access their Hire-A-Redbird account to register and attend the virtual career fair. If alumni no longer have access to their account, sign up with your alumni information, at least four business days prior to gain access. The four-day requirement is essential, as Career Services will need sufficient time to process the request, provide information on how to login, and how to register for the fair.

Login information for non-Redbird candidates

Those who are not Illinois State students will need to complete the following process to participate in Career Services hosted virtual career fairs. Sign-up for a Hire-A-Redbird account to gain access to the fair. If attending a different institution, enter the school email for the first field called “Student ID/Email” and into the email field. If one is a community member, enter your personal email into both fields.

Important information for employers

Meet exciting new talent from Illinois State University for your open positions and internship experiences. Registration is now open for all fairs. Be sure to review the instructions for how to navigate a Career Services virtual career fair.

For more information about the virtual career fairs held this fall, contact Career Services.

Career Services supports Illinois State University’s Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State—The Strategic Plan for Illinois’ First Public University 2018-2023 by assisting students with developing, evaluating, and implementing career, education, and employment decisions.