A Guide to Careers Skills Events
Why
Many universities run a variety of career skills events throughout the academic year through their
Careers Service. Events are a great way for businesses to raise their profile amongst the student
community and to forge stronger links with the university as a whole. These events provide an arena
to meet face to face with future talent for your industry, and are often an informal recruitment tool.
How
Career skills events are usually organised by the careers service of the university. It is always worth
connecting with this team as, beyond careers events, you can use them to advertise graduate and
work experience positions and to develop a wider connection with the university. The careers team
will usually have a website with a dedicated section for employers. In here you should be able to find
information on the various events run and how to participate, as well as contact details for the team.
What
Before contacting a university, it is worth thinking through what type of event your business would
benefit from being a part of, and what amount of time you can offer. A career skills event can take
many forms requiring a range of commitment, including:
o Careers Fairs
These could be sector specific or more general, depending on your remit
o Networking Events
Formal or informal, a great way to meet future talent and academics
o Skills Workshops
Developing specific skills such as CV building, psychometric testing, public speaking or sales
o Employer Presentations
Offering a broad insight into your organisation using case studies and personal stories.
If your aim is to build the reputation of your organisation, then careers fairs and employer
presentations are a great way to access a broad cohort of students and give them a real introduction
into your background. On the other hand, skills workshops and networking events allow you to
influence and build the skills of students, introducing you to future talent ahead of competitors.
Who
Who represents your organisation at a careers event is dependent on which type of event you
participate in. If you have an alumni from that university, they could be a great fit for delivering
presentations or skills workshops. Similarly, a recent graduate employee would make a great
representative at a networking event or careers fair.
You also need to pick depending on what you as an organisation want to get out of the event. Consider
sending a recruiter to a careers fair, a mentor or coach to a skills workshop, or a senior executive to a
networking event. Most importantly, make sure that all your representatives are well versed on what
the organisation is looking for should they be asked, and are aware of how to engage with students as
the face of the company.