The Boston College Career Center changed its career fair format this year, introducing several industry-specific fairs to better connect students and prospective employers, said Frances Adjorlolo, associate director of employer engagement at the Career Center.
“Shifting the career fairs to also be industry-specific means that we can create recruiting opportunities and avenues for students and employers to connect in ways that are unique to the needs of those particular industry areas,” Adjorlolo said.
Previously, the Career Center hosted one all-industry career fair per semester. Now, it will host multiple industry-specific fairs and networking events throughout the year.
The Career Center held its tech and business career fairs this week and will host a health and sciences career fair, two career weeks, and two networking events in the spring semester, Adjorlolo said.
“Students are welcome to attend any fair regardless of their major or interest, but having an industry-specific fair means that students can know generally what type of organization or opportunity they are going to find at that event,” she said.
The Career Center began discussing its plans to change the career fairs format after the virtual fair in February, according to Adjorlolo. The goal, she said, is to improve connections between employers and students through industry-specific events.
“We can better ensure that [employers] will meet students who are interested in and prepared for the roles they are offering, and students can also know that the employers at these fairs provide internships and jobs in the industry they are interested in,” Adjorlolo said.
Matthew Fox, MCAS ’24, attended Friday’s business career fair in the Margot Connell Recreation Center basketball courts. Fox said he appreciated the new industry-specific format.
“I like that it’s specific to certain fields, because at least you know ahead of time that this is what you’re walking into and can choose which days to prepare,” he said.
There was not enough space at the fair for people to move comfortably among the tables, though, he said.
“[The Career Center] could plan to stretch [the space] out so you don’t have to squeeze through the lines of people,” Fox said. “But the way it is set up, generally, is good.”
With several other industry-specific career fairs planned for the year, Adjorlolo said the Career Center is intentional about collecting student and employer feedback regarding the fair’s new format.
“We will take all of that into consideration as we make plans for future events to determine whether these types of fairs meet the goals of both students and employer participants,” Adjorlolo said.
