Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute takes pride in preparing students to become innovators and future leaders in their professions, and RPI’s Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) is very excited to welcome you back to campus for this fair. If you’re looking to network with students and alumni that aspire to change the world, you’re in the right place! Employers can expect to engage with students from all schools and majors, at every stage of career exploration, from inquiry to actively seeking opportunities.

All employer registration requests will be carefully reviewed to ensure there is diversity of industries and opportunities at the fair. Registrations will be approved based on the following:

• Relevance of industry and opportunities to RPI students and academic programs
• Active and complete job postings in Handshake
• Willingness to speak with all interested candidates at the fair, not just certain majors or degree levels – this includes first-year undergraduates and students from majors outside of your typical recruiting pipelines
• Demonstration of the altruistic values that are important to RPI students (pay equity, incorporation of DEI principles in hiring practices, ongoing support for diverse employees, environmental sustainability, and more)

Once your registration has been approved, you will receive an invoice by email that can be paid by credit card.

The Career Fair will take place at the Armory on RPI’s campus in Troy, NY. A confirmation packet including full details on travel, parking, shipments, event timeline, and other logistics will be sent to all registered employers by the end of December.

EMPLOYER REGISTRATION FEES & FEATURES

• General registration: $500
• Government & nonprofit: $250
• Please contact Tammy Taylor at taylot8@rpi.edu or 518-276-6234 with any payment or invoice questions, or if your organization needs special fee considerations
• Registration includes one six-foot table and two chairs, but you may bring up to four representatives

BRONZE SPONSOR: The Puckman Package ($1000)

• Logo on CCPD Career Fair website, Handshake event page, and physical Career Fair banner
• Logo on return-to-campus flyer for all students in dorms, January 2023
• Digital advertising on campus-wide TVs throughout January and February 2023

SILVER SPONSOR: The Troy Package ($2500)

• All items included in the Puckman Package (bronze) PLUS...
• Logo on printed Career Fair maps
• Choice of one of the following in January 2023:
  • Two-hour coffee station & tabling in RPI academic building (staffed by CCPD staff & student workers; can include flyers, swag, current hiring opportunities, etc.)
  • Sponsorship of a CCPD Career Fair prep workshop (may participate in-person or virtually) - resume writing, interview skills, etc.

GOLD SPONSOR: The Approach ($5000)

• All items included in the Troy Package (silver) PLUS...
• Priority logo spot on CCPD main website
• Dedicated social media post in January 2023
• Priority parking for one vehicle on Career Fair day
• Choice of one of the following:
  • Logo on nametag lanyards for all Career Fair student attendees
  • Logo on canvas bags for all student attendees
  • Sponsorship of and physical signage at LinkedIn headshot photo station
  • Career Fair Lounge coffee station sponsorship & physical signage

Please note that there are a limited number of sponsorships available, so we encourage you to register soon if this is something in which your organization is interested! If you have any questions about sponsorship options before purchasing, please email Julianna Manning, Associate Director of Employer Relations, at mannij5@rpi.edu.

The CCPD strives to give our employer partners the opportunity to connect with RPI students in multiple venues and formats. We will be offering info session and on-campus interview slots during the days surrounding the Career Fair. Please see details below, and note that availability for both info sessions and on-campus interviews is limited and will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Info sessions will be available between 4:00-8:00pm on Tuesday, February 7 and Wednesday, February 8. Info sessions will be 45 minutes in length and employers may request one session on either day. If you are interested in holding an info session, please email Julianna Manning at mannij5@rpi.edu and include your preferred day and time.
• Interview booths will be available from 9:00am-4:30pm on Thursday, February 9 and Friday, February 10. Employers may request up to four (4) booths for their company to conduct on-campus interviews with students following the Career Fair. If you are interested in on-campus interviews, please email Nicole St. Onge at stongn@rpi.edu and include your requested day(s) and number of booths.

1. I need to have my resume updated before the event, where can I go to do that?

The CCPD has many resources for getting help with your resume. You can:

• Log into Handshake and make a 30-minute individual appointment with a career counselor (Handshake>Career Center>Appointments)
• Attend Drop-in hours at the CCPD which occur Monday-Friday, 1-3pm (DCC 209)
• Attend a Resume Lab event we have scheduled (Handshake>Events>Resume labs).

2. I want to be able to follow-up with employers on LinkedIn, but I am not confident in my profile-what resources does the CCPD have?

The CCPD offers full 30-minute appointments to discuss your LinkedIn profile page (Handshake>Career Center>Appointments), you can have your LinkedIn profile picture taken here at the CCPD by making a specific 15-minute appointment (Handshake>Career Center>Appointments>LinkedIn Headshot) or attend a LinkedIn Lab event we have scheduled (Handshake>Events>LinkedIn labs).

3. How can I view what employers are attending the career fair?

Handshake is our career management platform, which we use to manage our career fair. Students can view detailed information on the fair, including which employers are attending. It is important to note that employers can register for the fair up until January 20, 2023. To view the employers who are attending the fair, follow the below steps:

1. Log into your Handshake account by going to rpi.joinhandshake.com
2. On your homepage, click on “Events” located on the top left side of your page
3. Click on the “Category” filter and check off “Career Fairs”. On the results page, choose “Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Spring 2023 Career Fair“
4. On this page, click on “All Employers”. Here you will see the most updated list of all employers attending. You will be able to filter through employers, view their full profiles and job postings, and follow them on Handshake.

4. How should I go about learning more about companies and opportunities?

Doing research on companies and their opportunities is an important piece of preparing for a career fair. There are a number of ways to learn more about companies:

1. Look at the employers profile on Handshake! See what information they are sharing on their profile and what jobs they have posted.
2. View their LinkedIn page! Check out what they are posting about, what jobs they have open, and RPI alum or mutual connections who work there.
3. Go to their website directly! Learn more about the company, their mission and vision, the products/projects, as well as their job openings. Essentially, try to gain a good understanding of what that company does.
4. Do a google search! Have they been featured in the news? Do they collaborate with other companies? What is their online presence like?

Having a good understanding of the company and their open positions will make your interactions with recruiters at the fair more valuable! It demonstrates your interest in the company and will help you develop your elevator pitch and a list of questions.

5.  What should I plan to bring to the career fair?

Items to Bring with You:  

• Pens and paper (for taking notes – jot down notes on business cards or handouts to help you remember what you learn)  
• List of potential employers/companies you want to talk to
• Resumes (Bring lots of copies – more than you think you will need!) 
• A lightweight folder to hold applications, resumes, business cards, handouts, etc.  

Items to Leave at Home (or drop off in the Mueller Center Classroom Upstairs)

• Bulky backpacks – you don’t want to look like a student  
• Cell phones – you may use them to research companies/organizations, but make phone calls outside the interview area
• Chewing gum, other food. 

Other Points to Remember 

•  Don’t travel in packs. Employers want to talk to you, not you and your friends. 
• When you find you are second in line, maintain a 2 or 3-step distance behind the person who currently has the employer’s attention. 
• Be confident and smile! 
• Maintain a positive attitude!

6. What should I wear to the Career Fair?

The best rule of thumb is to dress better than the person you are interviewing. Business professional attire is highly recommended for this career fair since the idea of business professional is constant amongst all boards.

Gender-neutral attire

Gender-neutral, also known as gender-free clothing, is attire that avoids what’s traditionally considered hyper-masculine or hyper-feminine elements. Gender-neutral clothing is appropriate for any person to wear, regardless of the gender with which you may identify. Slacks or pants are one example of gender-neutral clothing.

A good full suit or blazer is recommended with the pants/suits/skirts typically being neutral colors with a neutral tone i.e., brown, gray, black, dark blue, etc to best help your professionalism shine.

Wearing a button-down shirt with a suit/sports jackets will highlight your professional quality.

It is better to avoid clothes that may be revealing, such as wearing tank tops, t-shirts, sheer blouses, or hoodies.

Avoid pants that are not ripped or too tight. You want to feel comfortable in your professional outfit as you speak with employers/recruiters.

For shoes, you will want to find comfortable shoes that are not distracting and that compliment your outfit.

To help you stay organized, bring a small bag, purse, padfolio, or similar items.

Some articles of clothing to avoid wearing would include yoga pants, joggers, sweatpants, shorts, jeans, or any casual outfits. Remember that a career fair is where you can look and feel your best as you connect with employers/companies etc.

7. What do I say when I talk to an employer? What is an elevator pitch? 

When approaching employers, introduce yourself with a short elevator pitch that highlights your background, experience, accomplishments, and interests. An elevator pitch is your 30-60 second introduction, and includes your name, course, graduation date, area of interest, and relevant experiences. Think through the goal of your pitch and what you want to convey. Describe what you do, focusing on strengths, interests, and recent accomplishments. End your pitch with a thoughtful question and give them an opportunity to respond. Avoid basic questions you could have googled in advance, such as “What does your company do?” Instead, you could ask them to tell you about what types of projects interns have worked on in the past, what qualifications they want interns to have, etc.

8) After I go to the fair how should I follow up with companies? 
 
Send the company representative a short but authentic thank you email!  Mention specific programs, interests, and conversation topics that occurred at the career fair.  Discuss any specific opportunities you may have recently applied to since the career fair.  Don’t be afraid to attach your resume in your email for the recruiter to view!  Lastly, connect with them on LinkedIn! 
 
 
9) What other resources does the CCPD have to help me with my preparation? 
 
The CCPD has a ton of resources!  You can schedule appointments with your career counselor through Handshake to review your resume, LinkedIn account, and other general career fair preparation.  We also offer drop-ins every day from 1-3 pm in the CCPD office.  Lastly, we are offering various resumes, LinkedIn, and career fair prep presentations.  Check Handshake for the most up-to-date schedule for times and locations! 
 
 
10) How do I schedule interview space for interviews after the career fair? 
 
Please stop into the CCPD at least 24 hours before your interview time.  We will check our availability to ensure you have a private space to conduct your interview.  This is a first come, first served offering, so please stop in s soon as you become aware of your interview! 

The CCPD will be hosting a variety of Career Fair Prep Information Sessions. More information, including location, time, and registration can be found at: rpi.joinhandshake.com 

Career Fair Preparation Events: 

Thursday, January 19th, 2023, 12:00 pm

Monday, January 23rd, 2023, 4:00 pm

Tuesday, January 31st, 2023, 5:00pm 

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023, 12:00 pm 

Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 2:00pm 

Monday, February 6th, 2023, 12:00pm

Monday, February 6th, 2023, 4:00pm

Tuesday, February 7th, 2023, 12:00pm

Tuesday, February 7th, 2023, 4:00pm

Companies attending the career fair are seeking candidates for hundreds of internship, co-op and full-time opportunities. This link will direct you to opportunities posted in Handshake by RPI Career Fair employers that close after the career fair. 

Find opportunities here 

We strongly recommend you review these positions, update your application materials, and be prepared to ask employers about these opportunities. 

If you have any questions or trouble accessing this Handshake list, please contact the CCPD at ccpd@rpi.edu