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PROPOSAL TO CREATE A LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS CAREER FAIR
Presented By:
Team Synergy
Mia Sharron, Austin Jagels, Brian Blackiston, Gregory Nelson, Sidd Singh
To:
LCB Educational Enrichment Task Force
February 26, 2014
With the support of the Educational Enrichment Task Force (EETF), we are looking to create an
improved way for students to develop their professional network. Below, we explain the
problems with current networking opportunities and propose a new career fair with a redesigned
structure that aims to help students build lasting business connections. This will allow students
to gain exposure to a variety of companies and successfully attain employment.
NEED
Lundquist College of Business (LCB) students need a better way to prepare for networking as
well as an opportunity to network in a well-structured environment. We are defining networking
in this context as interacting with business professionals to create relationships that can lead to
future employment. Networking is very important for college students because it provides an
opportunity to differentiate themselves in the eyes of employers. According to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 70% of jobs are found through networking (Networking). Our proposed LCB
career fair will improve the chances that LCB students will obtain jobs and internships by
enabling them to network more effectively.
BACKGROUND
Career fairs have been structured the same way for years. They take place in a large room where
students have the opportunity to interact with professional recruiters. Although some students
receive that valuable connection leading to an interview, most find the career fair frustrating and
ineffective. This is caused by poor preparation, intimidating events, and lack of success for
students. Through our research we have discovered that both students and professional recruiters
think the current structure of the career fair needs improvement.
As of now, there are career fairs associated with the University of Oregon, but there is no career
fair catered specifically to the students of the LCB. The LCB offers networking events that
provide some opportunities for students to interact with business professionals and recruiters.
These events are similar to career fairs because they are mainly designed to help students
connect with potential future employers. However, there are usually only five to six companies
for as many as 80 students to speak to. The recent Banking and Wealth Management event
featured employers that were offering interviews for jobs and internships, but the positions were
only related to one specific field. Some LCB networking events are only designed to provide
informational insight into a business industry and employers are not looking to interview for
open positions.
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A business focused career fair is necessary for the LCB to provide students with a variety of
opportunities to interact with business professionals from many different industries. In the
upcoming University of Oregon career fair during spring term, only 56% of companies attending
will offer business-related internships and jobs. A career fair solely related to business
professions can offer students more opportunities to network with recruiters from their specific
industry of interest.
Preparation for Career Fairs
To understand the perspective of an employer, we interviewed Christine Regan, a head recruiter
for Morrison and Foerster LLP. Morrison and Foerster (MoFo) has consistently been ranked one
of the top 20 law firms in the country and was Chambers Global's 2013 USA Law Firm of the
Year. Regan primarily encounters graduate students and law students at the career fairs she
attends. These individuals have more experience in professional environments than
undergraduate students, but still make simple mistakes at career fairs. The problems she spoke
about in the interview were consistent with the data from our student surveys with undergraduate
LCB students, which shows that these problems affect a wide range of students.
Regan stated that most of the students present at the events had no additional understanding of
what MoFo was, outside of being a law firm. Employers expect students to research their
companies and use this knowledge to ask specific questions at the career fair. Spending time
preparing for career fairs can dramatically improve results. The University of Minnesota states
that 49% of students who prepared for career fairs received an interview and 65% of these
students received a job (“Career Fair Tips”). However, a recent Michigan State survey of 2000
employers found that a common problem recruiters encountered at career fairs was a lack of
preparation by students, which gave the recruiters a negative impression of the related
universities (Gardner).
Difficulties in Quality Interaction
Another problem that Regan discussed with us was in regards to interactions with students. She
told us that it is often difficult to distinguish one candidate from another. In the Michigan State
survey, one-third of employers found that a major problem with career fairs is a lack of structure,
which creates difficulty in interacting with students due to a chaotic environment (Gardner).
Employers are having a difficult time developing solid connections with ideal candidates. This
shows that under the current design of career fairs it is hard for a student to create meaningful
relationships during the event.
LCB Student Perspective
Through extensive surveys and interviews with LCB students, we noticed that there is a
significant problem with the value students are receiving from university sponsored career fairs.
LCB students feel that they are at a loss with LCB networking events and university career fairs
when trying to attain a business position.
Out of the 99 students who responded to the survey, only 40.4% of them have attended a career
fair or networking event. The fact that less than half of LCB students use current networking
opportunities is a major concern regarding their involvement in the advancement of their careers.
Many students do not attend these events because they are intimidated, unmotivated, and do not
believe that there is sufficient value in relation to their personal needs.
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The main reason that students are intimidated is because they are unprepared for the events. Of
the students that attended career fairs:
● 16.98% attended a career fair preparation workshop
● 37.74% prepared questions to ask recruiters
● 47.17% researched companies
These statistics show a divergence between the level of preparation expected by employers and
the actual preparation done by students. With only 16.98% having attended a preparation
workshop, many students are left not knowing what to do before the event and how to interact
with the recruiters during the event. One of the key complaints from employers was that
students did not prepare specifically for their company. The fact that only 47.17% of LCB
students took the time to research and over 60% did not have any planned questions to ask the
companies confirms that this is a problem.
Technology Advancement
Technology is not being used effectively to enhance career fairs and improve the experience for
students, employers, and organizers. The biggest problem that can be addressed through
technology is the lack of information for students about the companies attending. It is possible
for students to view a list of the company names before attending current career fairs, but these
are given without supporting information. Recruiters also have very little information about the
students that are planning on attending the event. They are not certain if they will find viable
candidates for the positions they are looking to fill. Our solution will leverage technology as a
key component to enhance the new LCB career fair.
Lack of Success
The main purpose of a career fair is to provide students with business connections that lead to
interviews for internships and jobs. In our survey, only four out of the forty students who
attended a career fair or networking event were interviewed by an employer. These results show
that this is a significant problem that needs to be addressed.
We have come to the realization that the way career fairs are currently structured is not beneficial
to employers or students. Not only is there a lack of preparation by students, but the current
structure is making it very difficult to develop valuable relationships between employers and job
seekers at career fairs. Our proposal seeks to recreate an effective career fair that provides value
to both students and employers with an emphasis on preparation, quality interactions, and a more
effective structure catered directly to business students.
OBJECTIVES
In order to measure our results for our proposed solution, we have a few specific goals that we
will strive to reach when our plan goes into action:
● 80% of students that sign up for the career fair will attend a preparation workshop.
● 30% of students in attendance will receive interview offers from companies in
attendance.
● 70% of LCB students will attend the career fair after two years of solution
implementation (50% in first year).
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PROPOSED SOLUTION
Create a New LCB Career Fair with Enhanced Design
To meet the objectives outlined above, the typical design of career fairs must be altered. There
are barriers to success for many students and the deficiencies that are present now need to be
addressed to improve outcomes. The changes will include student preparation before attending,
new ways to incorporate technology, and altering the scheduling and structure of the events.
Improved Preparation Methods
In order for students to gain the most out of career fairs, the first step is to improve their level of
preparation. Through the interviews and surveys we conducted it is clear that students do not
have enough information about career fairs. To address this problem, we plan on incorporating a
pre-career fair workshop. By attending a workshop, students will get a chance to understand the
mechanics of a career fair. The workshops will be held in the fall and winter terms leading up to
the career fair.
While preparing students to perform at their maximum potential, it is important for them to
understand what characteristics employers look for. For this purpose, the workshop will
incorporate visits from recruiters who will share their insights of the career fair. Through these
visits, students will have a better outlook on the common mistakes made during interviews and
which characteristics generate interest from companies and recruiters. These workshops will
also allow students to gain first-hand experience talking to employers at career fairs by supplying
students with an opportunity to engage in mock interviews. These interviews will take place in a
career fair environment with the workshop faculty playing the role of recruiters.
In addition, having business professionals and alumni who have landed jobs through career fairs
visit and speak to students at the workshops will help students understand how valuable career
fairs can be for their future. Thus by developing pre-career fair workshops and incorporating the
aforementioned steps, we believe students will be better prepared and have a higher probability
of making their career fair visit a successful one.
New Technology Platform
We propose the development of an online system that facilitates the easy transfer of information
between students and employers. Students who plan to attend the career fair will be required at a
minimum to sign up for the event and provide basic information that can help the organizers and
employers gauge attendance levels. Students will also have the option of providing additional
information that can be viewed by employers. This will include their résumé, GPA, and other
pertinent information that can help employers learn more about them. Many students are
intimidated by the lack of time they have with recruiters during the career fair. Allowing some
information to be reviewed by recruiters beforehand will reduce the pressure felt by students.
Employers will also be required to provide more information that students can use to prepare for
the event. This will include a list of positions being offered and their locations, potential future
job opportunities, and background knowledge of the company. Many recruiters from the
Michigan State survey felt that they were not finding adequate candidates for the positions they
were looking to fill. Creating an easy way for students to learn about each company will
facilitate the process of matching them to the companies that need their particular skills.
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This system will also allow employers and students to have direct contact before and after the
event. Students and recruiters will be able to provide email addresses and other social
networking tools that can be used to create connections. Students will be able to express their
interest in a job or internship opening and why they should be considered. Recruiters can also
direct questions to students and offer them an interview before, during, or after the career fair.
After the career fair takes place, the online system will enable recruiters and students to stay in
contact and strengthen relationships. Student surveys before the event will help organizers
decide which companies should be invited. There will also be an online post-survey for the
employers and students that will assess the success of the event. This will signal where changes
can be made to improve future events. Students who are unable to attend an event due to
scheduling conflicts will still be able to contact employers via the online system.
We have created a mock website that shows how all of the previously listed features will be
incorporated into an online platform. Students who tested the website gave us positive feedback,
saying that it was easy to use and would be helpful with their preparation for the career fair. This
website will integrate the different parts of our new LCB career fair and allow information to be
exchanged between organizers, students, and employers.
Scheduling
As of now, the LCB schedules networking events frequently throughout each term. This
provides various opportunities for students to attend, but it doesn't prove to be the most effective
approach for our proposal because it is difficult to offer preparation opportunities for each event.
We plan on holding one career fair for the year during the winter term. The event will be held on
a Saturday to offer students the best opportunity to attend by reducing conflicts with other LCB
obligations.
With one large business career fair for the year, the LCB can promote the fair as a major event
on the university calendar. The new website will be used along with other forms of marketing to
increase student awareness. The Michigan State research shows that more than two-thirds of
employers are concerned about the growing monetary and time costs of attending career fairs
(Gardner). Employers can better plan their visit and can avoid making as many costly trips by
focusing on the consolidated format of the career fair.
The new scheduling and increased marketing will allow students to prepare for the fair
throughout the year. This works in sync with the above mentioned workshop because the
workshop faculty can plan their training approach more efficiently to ensure students are ready in
time for the fair. Altering the scheduling of the career fair benefits all parties involved in making
a successful event.
Structure
In addition to improved preparation, technology, and scheduling, it is important that the career
fair itself is altered in a way that creates a more appealing environment for participants. The new
format will use the Lillis atrium as the starting point. Event coordinators will be based here and
will direct students to the correct areas of the building. Refreshments and appetizers will be
provided for students and employer lunches will be delivered here. The career fair will be held
throughout the day and will be broken up into two-hour time slots that students can choose while
registering.
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Rather than using only the Lillis atrium for booth locations, as is done for the current smaller
LCB networking events, the career fair will be scheduled when other parts of the Lillis Business
Complex can also be used. Booths will be organized based on what types of jobs/internships are
being offered. Larger firms will be mixed with smaller ones to spread out the flow of students
evenly. This will create a less crowded environment and will also provide quieter conditions for
conversations between students and recruiters.
Employers and students will be encouraged to use the new website to set up meeting times prior
to the career fair. This will create more comfort for students because they will know they do not
need to compete with their peers for the recruiters’ time. Employers will also benefit because
they will know that pre-screened candidates who fit their criteria will be attending. The amount
of students that are trying to go to each booth at any given time during the event will be reduced,
creating a less hectic experience for everyone involved.
These changes are designed to create an environment that is more welcoming to students, which
will allow for better interactions with recruiters. Students will already know general information
about the company that is posted by employers through the new website. This allows the focus
during the event to shift to conversations that provide deeper insights for both the employers and
students. The goal for the career fair will be to help each party understand the other better,
creating more meaningful relationships. The preparation workshops will provide students with
practice in answering and asking questions that will achieve this objective.
Risk Analysis
Developing the new version of the career fair will require investments of time and money from
the Career Services staff. Some parts of the new online system can be adapted from previously
offered services, such as UO-Joblink, to save money, but there will be costs involved with this
process. The new workshops to prepare students will require additional hours for the staff and
there will also be an adjustment period for participating employers as they become accustomed
to the new structure and to the requirement that they provide more information to students.
Our research has shown that many students are not using the currently available networking
opportunities and very few who do participate are awarded with an interview. This provides
evidence that one of the main goals of career fairs, to help students find internships and jobs, is
not being met. The initial costs to implement our proposal will improve the efficiency and
success of future career fairs, leading to a better experience for organizers, employers, and
students.
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TECHNICAL PLAN
In order to create a successful career fair, this timeline will be followed:
Spring Term 2014
March 31: Begin Website Development
April 27: Spring Survey Opens
May 5: Reserve Lillis for Career Fair
May 17: Spring Survey Closes
May 18: Begin Contacting Companies
May 25: Begin Marketing for Career Fair
June 10: Begin Contacting Workshop Guest Speakers
Fall Term 2014
September 29: Career Fair Registration Available
September 30: Employer Early Registration Deadline
October 6: Arrange Catering for Preparation Workshops; Setup/Cleanup Staff
October 21: Career Fair Preparation Workshop
November 11: Career Fair Preparation Workshop
December 12: Employer Registration Deadline; Student Registration Deadline
December 13: Arrange Catering for Career Fair; Setup/Cleanup Staff
Winter Term 2015
January 6: Career Fair Preparation Workshop
January 14: Career Fair Preparation Workshop
January 19: Career Fair Preparation Workshop
January 24: LCB Career Fair
January 25: Post- Career Fair Survey Opens
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COSTS
These estimates were made using an expected first year LCB career fair attendance of 600
students (approximately 50% of Business Administration and Accounting majors) and 40
employers. Early registration for employers will end during fall term and the fee will be $450
for profit companies and $150 for non-profit companies. Registration after this cutoff will raise
the fee to $500 for profit companies and $200 for non-profit companies. This fee structure is
consistent with career fairs at other comparable universities. The workshop estimates were made
using an expected attendance of 100 students. Based on our proposed design we anticipate the
following costs:
Career Fair Workshop
Catering (Beverages/Pizza) $ 600
Tables/Sound Equipment 550
Career Services Staff 1,850
Guest Speakers 250
Setup/Cleanup 500
Total for Each Workshop 3,750
Total for All Five Workshops 18,750
Website
Development $ 500
Ongoing Technical Support 5,000
Registration Processing 2,500
Information Updating 2,000
Total Website Cost 10,000
Marketing
E-mails/Online Promotion $ 1,750
Signs and Flyers 2,500
Class Announcements 1000
Total Marketing Cost 5,000
Career Fair
Setup/Cleanup $ 3,000
Catering (Beverages/Appetizers/Employer Meals) 2,500
Tables/Sound Equipment 1,500
Career Services Staff (Planning/Coordinating) 15,000
Student Coordinators 2,500
Discretionary Budget (Appearance, etc.) 5,000
Career Fair Costs 29,500
Less: Employer Fees (17,700)
Career Fair Total 11,800
Grand Total $ 45,550
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CONCLUSION
Many LCB students are not well-equipped to take advantage of the current networking
opportunities that are provided for them. There are also problems with the general structure of
career fairs that decrease effectiveness. Taking into consideration the viewpoints of students and
employers, we made modifications to current processes and added new features that will help
both parties gain more value from career fairs. The LCB benefits when students are better
prepared to succeed at career fairs because recruiters will recognize that it is a primary source of
outstanding candidates. With the goal of providing continued excellence in the LCB, we ask for
additional support from the EETF to put this proposal into action.
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APPENDIX A: Bibliography
"Career Fair Tips." Career Services - University of Minnesota, Crookston. N.p., 2008. Web. 23
Feb. 2014. <http://www3.crk.umn.edu/ccs/career/career_fair.htm>.
Gardner, Phil, and Ian Render. "Career Fairs: We Love Them! We Hate Them! But Can We Live
Without Them!" N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. <http://www.ceri.msu.edu/wp-conte
nt/uploads/2010/01/Career-Fairs.pdf>.
"Networking." Made Easy. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://as.cornell.edu/academics/career
s/networking/>.
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APPENDIX B: Survey Statistical Data (99 responses)
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APPENDIX C: Interview with Christine Regan
Brian: Currently, how effective are networking events at universities for your company in
finding quality candidates?
Christine: Networking events are helpful, along with the mix of other strategies (i.e., posting on
our website, utilizing agencies, LinkedIn, and department specific organizations like Legal
Marketing Assn (LMA), American Legal Administrators (ALA), Information Legal Technology
Assn (ILTA)..
Each year I do a one-day interview schedule for seniors at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. They
sign up weeks in advance to get a 30-minutes slot. At this event, I am focused on identifying
promising entry-level candidates who may (or may not) have ever thought of a career in the legal
industry (other than being a lawyer or paralegal).
I also sit on a panel each year for Science students at St. Mary’s who are interested in careers in
science beyond the lab. We have successfully recruited many interns via this forum. These are
very focused students who usually have a passion for their area of study. I have found that they
are often surprised to learn that there are [many] interesting paths that incorporate their subject-
matter expertise to direct their careers (i.e., the Patent Department in a law firm).
Brian: What are you looking for in a candidate at these events?
Christine: A level of polish and professionalism, in addition to intelligence, that would transition
well to the legal environment. I find that students who have been athletes, active in student
government, or on-campus clubs seem to have more to share during the interview. In addition,
this can be an indicator of how capable this individual is of multi-tasking and time management.
I like to hear “their story.”
Brian: What have you found to be successful about the event in regards to structure and
experience?
Christine: What I like to do is set up an early morning (30 min) session with all the students
together who have signed up to meet with me that day. During this time, I talk about Morrison
& Foerster and what it is like to work in a law firm. In most cases, the students have no idea (or
have never thought about) the fact that a law firm is like any other company, with departments in
Finance, Marketing, IT, HR, etc. I also speak to the quality and level of our client base, our pro
bono program and the Morrison & Foerster Foundation. This is important because it gives them
a snapshot of the kind of culture that is inherent in this prestigious firm.
Then, when I meet with each student separately (30 min each), I don’t need to talk so much
about MoFo, but rather can concentrate on their resume, career aspirations and interests. This
formula has worked very well for me.
Brian: What are some weaknesses that current networking events have?
Christine: The hard part of networking events for MoFo, is that we don’t have a big number of
positions open at any one time, especially entry-level. I always feel bad that we don’t have an
on-going “training program” like a lot of other business sectors. But, that is the nature of legal
versus corporate.
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Brian: What are some possible improvements you would like to see at a networking event in the
future?
Christine: As a recruiter, when you meet a number of students/candidates at an event, it is very
difficult to remember one from another. If there was a way to maintain contact with the students
who seem to be a good fit, then we could reach out when there was an opportunity at MoFo.
This could be helpful (on many levels).
Brian: Thank you again for your time, I really appreciate it!
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APPENDIX D: Survey Template
The following survey was sent out to LCB students in our other business classes. We received 99
responses.
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