Use these instructions to participate in the Public/Private Impact Virtual Career Fair on Friday, December 4, 2020, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Need Assistance?

If you need any assistance during the virtual career fair, join our walk-in Zoom room (Meeting ID: 228-560-8465; Passcode: CUNY). Our career advisers and graduate assistants will be standing by from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm to help you navigate the virtual career fair platform, as well as to answer any other career fair-related questions you may have.

Register for the Fair

If you’ve logged into GC Connect before, log into GC Connect and follow these steps:

Navigate to the Public/Private Impact Virtual Career Fair page using the GC Connect main menu (Events > Career Fairs) or the quicklink on the GC Connect homepage
An information video (“Welcome to the Virtual Career Fair”) should launch automatically; after watching the video, close the video window, select “Watch Later,” or select “Don’t Show Again”
On the career fair page, click “Attend”
Follow the on-screen prompt to complete your chat profile and click “Save”; you are now registered to attend the virtual career fair and should receive an automatic email confirmation.

If you’re new to GC Connect, first you will need to access or activate your account by following the detailed instructions below:

Current Graduate Center students
If you’re a first-time user of GC Connect …
Reset your account password
If you have been registered at the Graduate Center for more than one semester, a GC Connect account has already been made for you—you do not need to create a new account. (If this is your first semester at the Graduate Center, please instead follow the directions to access GC Connect as a new user.) To access your account, navigate to the GC Connect login page and follow these steps:
1. Click on the “Student/Alumni” user icon
2. Click “Forgot Password”
3. Enter your GC email address (ending in @gradcenter.cuny.edu) and click “Go”
4. Open your GC email account, locate the email titled “Career Services Password Reset Request,” and click the URL link at the bottom of the email to set your password
5. Enter and confirm a new password, and then click “Save”
From now on, you’ll be able to login to GC Connect using your GC email address and the password you just created.
First year Graduate Center students & recent alumni
If you’re a first year GC student or recent alum …
Access GC Connect as a new user
To set up a GC Connect account, navigate to the GC Connect login page and follow these steps:
1. Click on the “Student/Alumni” user icon
2. Click “Sign Up”
3. To complete the sign up process, enter your information into the following fields, check the box to prove you are not a robot, and click “Submit”
  - Student ID (i.e., your CUNYfirst/EMPLID number)
  - Full name, which will auto-populate the other name fields
  - Preferred name, if different than your given name
  - Email (preferably your CUNY school email address, e.g., graduate.student@baruchmail.cuny.edu)
  - Phone
  - Degree level
  - Graduation date (actual or expected)
  - Program
  - Applicant type
  - Work authorization (i.e., CIT for U.S. citizen, NONCIT for non-U.S. citizen, or PR for permanent resident; please note that this information field is optional)
  - Email privacy settings
4. Open your email account, locate the email titled “Email Verification,” and click the URL link in the email to confirm your email address
5. You will be automatically redirected to a confirmation page
Complete your account setup
After a staff member reviews your new user registration (which will occur on a regular basis during normal business hours), you will receive an automated email that will allow you to complete your account setup and register for the career fair. Follow these steps:
1. Open your email account, locate the email titled “Career Services Registration Confirmation,” and click the URL link in the email to create a password
2. Enter and confirm a new password, and then click “Save”
3. Follow the on-screen prompt to complete your account setup
  (You can edit your account information later by clicking on your circled initials in the top right corner of the GC Connect browser and selecting “Personal Information”)
From now on, you’ll be able to login to GC Connect using your email address and the password you created.
Other CUNY graduate students
If you’re a graduate student at another CUNY campus …
Access GC Connect as a new user
To set up a GC Connect account, navigate to the GC Connect login page and follow these steps:
1. Click on the “Student/Alumni” user icon
2. Click “Sign Up”
3. To complete the sign up process, enter your information into the following fields, check the box to prove you are not a robot, and click “Submit”
  - Student ID (i.e., your CUNYfirst/EMPLID number)
  - Full name, which will auto-populate the other name fields
  - Preferred name, if different than your given name
  - Email (preferably your CUNY school email address, e.g., graduate.student@baruchmail.cuny.edu)
  - Phone
  - Degree level
  - Graduation date (actual or expected)
  - Program
  - Applicant type
  - Work authorization (i.e., CIT for U.S. citizen, NONCIT for non-U.S. citizen, or PR for permanent resident; please note that this information field is optional)
  - Email privacy settings
4. Open your email account, locate the email titled “Email Verification,” and click the URL link in the email to confirm your email address
5. You will be automatically redirected to a confirmation page
Complete your account setup
After a staff member reviews your new user registration (which will occur on a regular basis during normal business hours), you will receive an automated email that will allow you to complete your account setup and register for the career fair. Follow these steps:
1. Open your email account, locate the email titled “Career Services Registration Confirmation,” and click the URL link in the email to create a password
2. Enter and confirm a new password, and then click “Save”
3. Follow the on-screen prompt to complete your account setup
  (You can edit your account information later by clicking on your circled initials in the top right corner of the GC Connect browser and selecting “Personal Information”)
From now on, you’ll be able to login to GC Connect using your email address and the password you created.

Joining the Fair

On the day of the fair, log into GC Connect, navigate to the Public/Private Impact Virtual Career Fair page, and follow these steps:

Career Fair Login

Complete or update your Chat Profile, which will be visible to employers
If you haven’t already done so, upload your resume (this is the only way to pass a resume to an employer during the fair)
You can edit your account information (e.g., degree level, program, and graduation date) by clicking on your circled initials in the top right corner of the GC Connect browser and selecting “Personal Information”
Change your Status to “Online”

Career Fair Status

Interacting with Employers

When the fair starts, go to the Employer tab and search and filter to find employers of interest.

You can express interest in an employer by clicking on the star icon, which will bring them to the top of your list. Click on an employer to view their company profile.

*Please note that present employers may be listed as having “No representatives online.” This simply means that the employer will not be available for 1-on-1 meetings. If you click into their employer page, you will still be able to join their group chat.

1-on-1 Video Chats

You can speak to employers in 1-on-1 video chats by clicking “Join Queue.”

Career Fair Queue

The employers who you are waiting for will show up under Upcoming Chats along with estimated wait times. You can stand in multiple queues at once to maximize your number of video chats. Under Upcoming Chats, you can see how many total queues you are allowed to be in at one time.

Important: If you are waiting in employer queues, make sure to stay within the virtual career fair. If you navigate away to other pages within the site, you may miss invitations from employers to video chat.

When it’s your turn to video chat with an employer …

You will see an alert pop up on the screen and hear a “ding” sound
Click on the alert to see instructions on how to video chat with the employer
Once you have started to video chat with an employer, watch the timer, which will count down from the maximum time to zero (you also can see the positions that the employer is recruiting for)
When you are done with your video chat, click “End Chat”; you will be able to write notes, which you can use to follow up with employers after the fair

Group Video Chats

While you wait for 1-on-1 employer video chats, you can join an employer’s group video chat by clicking “Group Chat.” If you are in a group video chat, employers can still contact you for 1-on-1 video chats.

Leaving the Fair

If you need to step away for a short break, set your Status to “Busy.” If your Status is “Busy,” employers will not be able to invite you to a video chat. When you’re ready to leave the fair, set your Status to “Offline,” which will remove you from any queues that you are currently in.

When the fair is over, you can access your notes and representatives’ names and email addresses in order to send thank you notes.

Additional Resources

The following materials were created by Symplicity to support your attendance at the virtual career fair:

How to Navigate a Virtual Career Fair (& Virtual Interviews)

Virtual Career Fairs
Career fairs have almost become a rite of passage—crowds of professionally-attired students lining up at booths or tables to meet employers, hoping to make a connection that leads to a great opportunity. Maybe you’ve heard about career fair experiences from relatives, friends, or older students. Perhaps you have even attended some already yourself, so you know what to expect. However, as with many other aspects of life, some career fairs are taking on new forms, and you have now been invited to participate in a virtual career fair. How will meeting with companies online change the career fair dynamic, and what can you do to boost your chances of finding that great opportunity?
The good news is that you will see many of the opportunities you would normally have seen and possibly even more! Generally, virtual career fairs will have the same kind of employers who would have participated in an in-person fair. You may also see some new companies, located further away from your campus, who are able to participate since the fair is now virtual.
While the opportunities may be similar, the way you interact with companies will be very different. Instead of meeting a recruiter in person, you will only interact over video. As anyone who has used Zoom, FaceTime, or any video chat or meeting software knows, video interactions can be great, but they are also slightly different than seeing someone in person. Many of the tips you have seen for in-person career fairs still apply. However, to prepare for video chats with employers, we have these helpful tips to make your virtual career fair a success.
Tips for Successful Virtual Career Fairs
Tip 1: Use a Stable Device
Since you will likely be in a video chat with an employer, consider using a laptop or desktop that is resting on a desk or table. This ensures that your screen does not move while you are talking to the employer. If you decide to use your mobile device, find a way to prop it up so you don’t need to hold it. Even if you are blessed with nerves of steel and steady hands, a table or desk location will always provide better video, and you will feel more comfortable if you can speak freely without worrying about moving or dropping your device. Whatever device you choose to use, make sure the camera works, and that you are either plugged in or are fully charged, with several hours of battery life.
Tip 2: Check Your Wi-Fi or Internet Connection
For the best experience at the fair, you will need a steady and reliable Wi-Fi or internet connection with download and upload speeds of at least 2 Mbps to support video chats. If you do not have access to a good connection in your residence hall, home or library, ask your career office to see if they have any suggestions. Wired internet connections are often more stable and reliable than wireless.
Tip 3: Inspect Your Background and Lighting
If you plan to video chat with an employer, remember to quickly scan your surroundings to make sure that things are orderly. You don’t want to be embarrassed by compromising items in the background, such as open bottles, controversial materials, or a pile of dirty laundry. Also consider finding a quiet place where you can concentrate and not be disturbed by roommates, family members, or pets. If you do not have access to such a place in your residence hall, home or library, ask your career office to see if they have conference rooms, interview rooms, or open offices that can be used. Lighting is also an important consideration. If there is a bright light behind you, your face will not show up well on camera. Avoid having bright sunny windows directly behind you. Try to have some light on you, so that the employer can see you when you are talking. Bright sunlight directly behind your screen is another hazard to avoid; you will look much better during the fair if you are not constantly shielding your eyes!
Tip 4: Dress Professionally
Since a virtual career fair enables employers to see you on camera, professional attire will help you to make a good first impression. Some experts advise dressing as if you were attending an interview; others say that business casual—button-down shirt or blouse—is reasonable. Try to stay away from T-shirts with logos, ripped clothes, or tops that reveal too much. From a video perspective, it is also good to wear solid colors, avoiding clothes with lots of patterns, stripes or plaids. Your goal is to have the employer to focus on you as a person and not to be distracted by what you are wearing.
Tip 5: Turn Notifications Off
While you are in the live virtual career fair, you will want to focus your attention on connecting with employers. To avoid being distracted, consider turning off notifications for social media, news, and other applications. If you are busy looking at the notifications for other applications, you might miss that opportunity to video chat with your employer of choice!
Tip 6: Have Your Resume on Hand
While you may have already uploaded your resume for employers to see, you should have a copy of your resume nearby. An employer may start your video chat by asking you something specific on your resume, and you will want to be able to speak to it without missing a beat. Video chats are short and timed, so you want to make the most of every minute you have with an employer.
Tip 7: Pick Your Chat Strategy: Group vs. 1-on-1
Both group and 1-on-1 chats can be great ways to interact with an employer. Which one you choose depends on your immediate goal. Group video chats are a great way to learn about a company, ask general questions, and hear the responses to other students’ inquiries. If you have found an employer you are interested in, then a 1-on-1 video chat is the better way to see if there are opportunities for and to advance to the next stage of the hiring process.
Tip 8: Research and Plan Ahead of Time
Similar to in-person career fairs, you can get more out of the experience if you have researched in advance the employers who will be in attendance, their profiles, and jobs that they are offering. Use that research to create a prioritized list of companies with whom you would like to speak, so you know exactly which employer lines to get into when the virtual career fair opens.
Tip 9: Arrive on Time
Similar to an in-person fair, it’s best to arrive on time to be the first in line. Unlike a physical fair, you can stand in multiple lines at once, so arriving when the fair starts means you will get top spots for the employers on your prioritized list.
Tip 10: Take Notes
When you have finished a video chat with an employer, make sure to take notes. You may talk to many companies over the course of the fair, and you will want to remember specific information about each employer for follow up after the fair.
Tip 11: Apply to Jobs
If you enjoyed your video chat with an employer, then check out the company’s job postings. Go ahead and show your enthusiasm by applying to the jobs immediately after the fair. After all, finding that great job is why you attended the fair!
Tip 12: Send Thank You Notes
After the fair is over, you can retrieve the names of company representatives, emails, and notes that you have taken. Use this information to send thank you notes to the representatives, expressing your interest and gratitude for taking the time to video chat with you. Making this extra effort can help the representatives remember you in a positive light.
Closing Thoughts
While a virtual career fair may seem quite different at first, in the most important ways, it is just like a regular fair: the employers are still there to find great candidates and you are there to find a great job.
Similarly, a video interview is very similar to an in-person interview. Maintain eye contact, smile, and be confident. Remember to follow up. The main difference is in being able to make a good impression on camera. While meeting people online is certainly different from the in-person experience, it is still a fantastic way to find an opportunity, as long as you understand the differences and use them to your advantage.
By following the simple tips above, you can make the most of your virtual career fair experience!
Virtual Career Fair Best Practices
Best Practices for Students
1. Symplicity and GC Connect no longer support Internet Explorer, so please use a different browser
2. When joining an employer chat, instead of downloading Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc., select the option to join the meeting online and it will be faster to join
3. As long as you are in a queue, remain in the Virtual Career Fair so you do not miss any employer chat requests; please do not navigate to other areas of GC Connect
4. Make sure you click the “Attend” button so that you can join chats
5. Before the fair, mark your favorite employers by clicking on the “Interested” star icon, so that they will display at the top of your list
6. After each video chat you complete, scroll down to view the Notes field, and be sure to enter Notes after each chat—before you join the next—so that you do not forget key information
7. Log into your GC Connect account before the fair to make sure that you have uploaded an up-to-date resume and that your Chat Profile is current