Even though we hope that we’ll be seeing you all at in-person commencements soon, WGU Career and Professional Development will continue to offer virtual events for WGU students and alumni to ensure that you have access to employers and opportunities. As you review our event listings for upcoming virtual events and career fairs, it’s worth spending a few minutes preparing yourself to make the most of any virtual event. 

Review Your Surroundings: Some virtual events encourage participants to leave on their video. If the event is hosted using Handshake video, you don’t have the ability to change your background like you do in WebEx, Teams, or Zoom. Be aware of what’s in the frame—if in doubt, a plain wall works just fine. If you are attending an event on a platform that allows virtual backgrounds, be sure your virtual background is professional as well. 

Prepare Your Attire: While most of these events don’t require the same level of business professional dress code that you would need at an in-person career fair or job interview, you should still dress to impress. For Virtual Career Fairs—especially if you are signed up for 1 on 1 sessions—try to wear a blazer, jacket, or cardigan with your outfit to elevate the level of dress. For virtual info sessions, you should be prepared to go on camera but don’t need to be dressed business professional. 

Do Your Research: If you’re attending an employer event, it’s really helpful to have some background knowledge of the company prior to the event. You may want to research things like the company’s products, competitors, location(s), and industry to help you make a stronger positive impression on the employer.  

Develop Your Questions: After doing some research, you may already have questions about the company, their culture, or opportunities they have available. You should avoid immediately asking questions about salary and benefits or asking questions you can easily find the answers to on the company website. Instead, spend some time developing questions that can help you get a better picture of the hiring process and organizational culture.  

Here are a few sample questions you may be interested in tailoring and asking the recruiter: 

• What skills and experiences do you look for when hiring? 
• How can a prospective candidate stand out in the application process or in an interview? 
• What are some common characteristics of your most successful and high-performing employees? 
• Is a graduate degree or ongoing professional training important to advance in your organization?  
• Does your company hire on a continual basis or just at certain times of the year? 
• What kinds of entry-level positions exist at your organization? 
• How long have you been with the organization? 
• What made you choose this company and why do you stay? 

Virtual events allow you to explore different companies, grow your network, and gain insight into different opportunities available to WGU students and graduates. By taking some time to prepare yourself prior to the event, you’ll get the most out of your participation and be able to make a stronger impression on a prospective employer.