Host a Recruitment Event
Recruitment events are a great way for employers to engage students while also promoting their organization on campus. Below is information on the different types of events employers usually host, along with logistical information on planning your event.
Types of events
- Information Session: An event featuring a presentation given by one or more company representatives. These usually cover general information about the organization, specific details about the representative's team and/or job type, and hiring needs. The end of the event is often reserved for a few minutes of student Q&A. Information Sessions are a tad more structured than the two event types listed below.
- Office Hours: An event during which employers meet with small groups of students (no more than 10) in 30-minute increments. Whereas Information Sessions focus on advertising information about your company, Office Hours emphasize the employer-student dialogue and can be helpful when your interest is more in hearing students' questions and concerns.
- iLounge Hangout: An event similar to tabling at a career fair or expo. The iLounge is a high-traffic area where iSchool students study, have team meetings, eat lunch, and relax. Hangouts are ideal for connecting informally with students.
Planning your event
Initial contact
Due to the difficulty of finding space on campus, we ask that employers reach out with their event requests at least 10 days in advance. You can make your initial inquiry to the Career Services team by filling out this form.
Scheduling a time
Information Sessions are generally held from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. This allows students to attend during the lunch hour, when the iSchool does not offer classes.
Office Hours are the most flexible in terms of scheduling since they span the longest periods of time. Let us know what works for you and we can work off that.
iLounge Hangouts can either be held between 9 and 11 a.m. or between 2 and 4 p.m. The space is reserved for students during the rest of the day.
We do not recommend scheduling any events on Fridays, when many iSchool students are not on campus.
While these are suggestions, they are not strict timeframes. If you would like to host a recruitment event outside of the aforementioned hours, reach out to the email above and let us know what you have in mind.
Logistics
After receiving your initial request, a member of the Career Services team will be in contact to work out the details of your event. This will include finalizing a date, finding a room appropriate for the size and technological needs of your event, and working out parking assistance if necessary.
Promotion
We promote recruitment events on the main iSchool website, our student jobs board (iCareers), on student group Facebook pages, in our weekly Career Services newsletter, and via text both the day before and of the event.
To help us advertise, we recommend employers submit a promotional blurb for their events. While we have generic event descriptions we can use, providing one of your own will give students a better idea of the nature and scope of your event. Submitting a flier or infographic can also be useful.
Additionally, we strongly recommend that all employers provide food and refreshments at their events. While not mandatory, mentioning that food will be provided in promotional materials has shown to greatly increase student interest. The Career Services team can help recommend catering options. (There are a small number of rooms on campus that do not allow food — we will let you know in advance if this will affect your event.)
Day of event
The day of your event, a member of the Career Services team will meet you at the event space and help with setup. For Information Sessions, the team member will stay for the length of the event, though this is usually not necessary for Office Hours or iLounge Hangouts.
We are more than happy to provide whatever assistance you might need. If you have any particular support requests, please just let us know in advance.