Employers from Sarasota-Manatee are invited to participate with businesses from across the state and nation in a unique and exciting job fair involving more than 50 local college students.
The Cross College Alliance (CCA) “Reverse Career Fair” — a fully virtual and free event — will be held on Thursday, March 25, from 2 to 5 p.m., on the online networking platform Remo.
Employers are invited to meet dozens of students from the University of South Florida, New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art and Design and State College of Florida during this special live networking opportunity.
“The Reverse Career Fair has received national awards and attention,” said Brett E. Kemker, vice provost and regional vice chancellor for academic affairs and student success at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. “It is a fine example of USF’s commitment to our students’ career development and selection.”
Unlike traditional career fairs, “reverse career fairs” enable students to meet and interview potential employers — not the other way around. The event features students handpicked for their abilities, educational specialty and internship and job experiences. Employers, in turn, are able to review the students’ resumes prior to the event to help decide which students meet their specific hiring objectives.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers has recognized the uniqueness and efficacy of this event and its format.
“The Reverse Career Fair is a win-win situation for employers as well as for our students,” said Bart Stucker, assistant director of student support at the Sarasota-Manatee campus. “Our employers have the opportunity to hire outstanding students aligned to their hiring needs, and our students get the opportunity to earn a job within the area where they want to live and develop their careers.”
Since the first reverse career fair in 2018 at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, this is the second time the event has gone virtual, a shift necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, 76 employer representatives participated, and more than half of all student participants were offered at least one interview (several also landed jobs and internships).
Employers can register for the Cross College Alliance Reverse Career Fair at tinyurl.com/CCAReverseFair21.