Biz+STEM Career Week

LMU Biz+STEM Career Week: Virtual Career Fair 2022

September 22, 2022 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Handshake

The Biz+STEM Career Events provide students with the opportunity to network with alumni and employers from the business and STEM industries. Students can learn about potential career paths, network with alumni from industries such as advertising, finance, information technology, physics, engineering, and more.

Biz+STEM: Speed Interviewing Prep with LM-UMATCH

September 21, 2022 | 4:00 – 5:30 PM | University Hall (Meeting room ECC 1857)

An opportunity for students to showcase their elevator pitch and practice their networking skills in preparation for the Business and STEM Virtual Career Fair.

Who will be there?

Accomplished alumni, CPD career coaches, and students like you who are interested to hear from successful professionals in all areas of business.

Why should I attend?

• Meet and connect with LMU alumni working in business and STEM fields
• Discover the career paths that business professionals have taken after graduating from LMU
• Practice informational interviewing and hear advice from helpful LMU alumni
• Expand your network and meet other students in the College of Business Administration and Seaver College of Science and Engineering

How should I dress?

Business casual is recommended for this event.

CPD will host all virtual fairs and networking events using Handshake and Zoom Web Conferencing.

Handshake

Employers will register similarly to in-person fairs. Once the employer's registration is approved by CPD, employers are able to generate session schedules for representatives that will be present. 

Employers are able to host two types of sessions to interact with students: 

• Group Sessions:
  • 30 minutes each
  • multiple students can attend
• 1:1 Sessions:
  • 10 minutes each
  • one student and one employer representative can attend

In these sessions, employers will be identified as the Host, and they will be able to share their screen with participants. 

For additional information on how to register for the fair, sign up for sessions, and participate in the fair, visit the Handshake Help Center article "Handshake's Guide to Attending a Virtual Fair".

Zoom Webinar

Zoom is a cloud-based technology offering a full spectrum of web conferencing tools to help enhance online learning and increase productivity. All LMU faculty, student, and staff can create an LMU Zoom account.

You can access Zoom Web Conferencing via web browser or download the application to a smart device. Learn how to create your Zoom Web Conferencing account.

For additional information on how to log-in to a Zoom webinar visit the Zoom Help Center Joining and participating in a webinar (attendee)

Know who’s in the room

• Review the list of alumni located below and strategize who you would like to connect with after the event
• Set a goal (“I want to gain information about career opportunities that come with a degree from CBA or Seaver” or “I plan to speak with four alumni to grow my network as I apply for internships”)

Deliver your pitch

• Be confident as you begin your conversations with alumni and introduce yourself by first and last name
• Lead with eye contact and smile followed by “nice to meet you”
• Share your class year, major and objective (“My goal is to work on the business side for a studio”)
• Build rapport through questions and commonalities (“I see that you were an AIMS major. I am, too!" or "As a biology major, what student projects did you work on at LMU?”)

Listen more than you speak

• Engage in a conversation and allow for give and take. Ask questions and be curious.
• Recognize who is in your conversation circle, extend an introduction to all
• Create space for others to join the conversation and ask questions
• Listen intently to remember key points from your conversation to include when you follow-up
• Take notes throughout the event for future reflection and follow-up

Ask questions

• What did you do during your time at LMU that prepared you for your career?
• What recommendations do you have for gaining experience or knowledge of your industry?
• Can you describe the culture at (company name)?
• What types of skills are needed for someone to be successful in your role?
• May I follow-up with you after tonight to discuss your position and company?
• Which industry publications do you read? Who are the industry influencers you follow? Which professional affiliations or groups do you belong to?

Take the next step

• Follow-up 24-48 hours after the event by email or LinkedIn (ask the alum’s preference)
• Include a highlight from your conversation to remind the alum of who you are
• Build a relationship by requesting an informational interview with alum
• Schedule an appointment with a CPD Career Coach via Handshake to gain support on next steps (i.e. updating your LinkedIn profile, practicing interviewing or crafting follow-up communication)