Handshake Virtual Fair FAQ’s and Tips

Virtual Job and Internship Fair: Friday, Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. in hireBING by Handshake.

Student registration opens  Sept. 9.

View the list of registered employers grouped by Career Cluster.

Register in hireBING for the employer sessions you are interested in! “Follow” employers you are interested in meeting with to get notifications when they have open sessions you can sign up for!

  • Meet with employers virtually! Interact with recruiters through video, audio, or chat!
  • Discover new career opportunities. Get personalized recommendations based on your Handshake profile for which employers to connect with.
  • Never wait in line. Pre-schedule your one-on-one sessions with employers, or register to attend group information sessions with employers you’re interested in. Tip: Space is limited for employer sessions, and spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis! Be sure to regularly check the registered employers and sign up for time slots as they become available so you’ll be able to meet with your top choices!
  • Make an impression. Bring your unique perspective to the table, ask great questions, and follow up with recruiters after the fair.

STUDENT TIPS:

  • New employers and info sessions are added every day, so check hireBING often!
  • Update your hireBING profile now! You will receive employer recommendations to meet with based on your interests, class year, and major!
  • “Follow” any employers you’re interested in! You will be notified when they add new sessions to their schedule.
  • Only sign up for sessions you plan to attend: You must cancel any 1:1 or group sessions you do not plan to attend at least 48 hours in advance to make the employer’s schedule available for other interested students. Any student that does not show up for a registered session will be required to attend a professionalism seminar hosted by the Fleishman Center.

FAQ’s – General Fair Questions

  • How will I meet with employers?
    All sessions will have the option in Handshake to connect through video, audio and text-based chat. It is up to the employer and student joining the session to determine how they would like to connect. Employers will be offering 1:1 and/or Group sessions to meet Binghamton University students. See details on day-of participation in Participating in a Virtual Fair. As long as you’re signed up for the session successfully, you’ll be able to launch video at any point after the session has started.
  • Do I need a Handshake account to access the fair?
    Yes – all current Binghamton University students have a free hireBING by Handshake account. You will access the virtual fair through your account. Virtual fair sessions will require privacy settings to be on Employer or Community, depending on the type of session you wish to attend. For full access to the virtual fair and both employer 1:1 and group sessions, you must have your privacy setting set to COMMUNITY.
    • Community: Choosing “Community” will allow you to participate in all sessions at virtual fairs – 1:1 sessions as well as group information sessions. This option will also give you access to Peer Messaging and will make you visible to other students and alumni across all Handshake schools, as well as to employers that recruit at Binghamton University.
    • Employers: Choosing “Employers” will allow you to participate in 1:1 sessions with employers during the virtual fair. This option will also make you visible to employers that recruit at Binghamton. You will not have access to Peer Messaging.
    • Private: Choosing this option means that your profile is not visible to other students, alumni, or employers, and you will not be able to sign up for 1:1 employer sessions or group sessions during the virtual fair. You will still have access to Handshake jobs and to other resources provided by Binghamton University.
  • Who can participate in the Virtual Job and Internship Fair?
    Binghamton University’s Virtual Job and Internship Fair is open to all enrolled undergraduate and graduate students of any academic year and any academic major.
  • Will students who live internationally be able to participate?
    There are no restrictions by location, so as long as you are logged into Handshake, you can participate.
  • Do I need to meet with a specific company representative based on my major?
    Employers will be able to set schedules per representative and connect those schedules to relevant positions and preferences. Group sessions will be filled on first-come, first-served registration, but students will need to meet qualifications to register for a 1:1 session. Check the employer schedules to determine the qualifications needed to meet with a specific representative
  • How do I know what types of positions (job, internship, etc.) employers are hiring for?
    After registering to attend the fair in hireBING by Handshake, you will be able to view all registered employers under the “Available Sessions” tab. You can then filter by employers hiring for full-time, part-time or internship opportunities and sign up for sessions based on the position type you are searching for.
  • What are the Accessibility Options for the Job and Internship Fair?
    Please refer to Handshake’s dedicated article Virtual Fairs: Accessibility for more information!

FAQ’s – Registering and Signing Up for Sessions

  • How do I register and sign-up for a session?
    In order to sign up for sessions with employers, you must be registered for the fair. For details on this process, please see Signing up For Virtual Fair Sessions. There are limited spots available for 1:1 employer meetings and group information sessions which are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Review which employers are attending the fair (follow employers you want to check back in with)! You’ll be able to sign up for sessions up to one(1) minute before the start time; You cannot sign up for sessions that have already started.
  • Will I be able to submit my resume to employers without joining a 1:1 employer or group session?
    You can sign up to meet with employers in 1:1 and group sessions during a virtual fair. Employers will have access to the attendee resumes of their sessions before and after the fair.
  • A group session I am interested in is full. Can I still attend?
    If a group session is at capacity before the day of the virtual fair, then you will not be able to attend that session.

FAQ’s – Attending the Fair

  • How do I check into the virtual career fair?
    When you launch a session, you will automatically be checked-in.
  • How will I meet with employers?
    All sessions will have the option in Handshake to connect through video, audio and text based chat. It is up to the employer and student joining the session to determine how they would like to connect. Employers will be offering 1:1 and/or Group sessions to meet Binghamton University students. See details on day-of participation in Participating in a Virtual Fair. As long as you’re signed up for the session successfully, you’ll be able to launch video at any point after the session has started.
  • Can I see my previously attended sessions?
    Yes! Students will be able to see their previous sessions within the sessions tab.

FAQ’s – Technology

  • How can I test the conferencing/video before the Fair?
    The virtual fair’s video conferencing features use an application called Twilio. It is recommended to run a Twilio network test (https://networktest.twilio.com/ ) to ensure that you will be able to easily utilize the video/chat/text conferencing features during the fair. If the test returns any failures or error messages, this indicates that something with your internet, device, or browser is causing an issue. In this case, you should 1.) Try a browser other than Chrome, such as Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge. 2.) Follow these troubleshooting steps for Windows: Handshake Video Requirements & Troubleshooting. You will want to make sure toggles for audio and video are both on. If the Twilio network test comes back with no errors, you should not experience any technical difficulties during the fair.
  • What if I don’t have access to video?
    Text-based chat will be an option for students that don’t have access to video.
  • Do I need to use a specific browser?
    It is recommended that Participants use Chrome or Firefox. Video is NOT supported on Internet Explorer and Safari uses may experience difficulties as well.
  • What are the technical requirements to participate in the Virtual Job and Internship Fair?
    • An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE)
    • Speakers and a microphone – built-in or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth
    • A webcam or HD webcam – built-in or USB plug-in
    • Devices: Desktop web (Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge), iOS app, Android app (supported in August), or mobile web
  • How do I report a technical issue?
    You can easily report technical issues directly in the Handshake platform during the fair. Learn more here. You can also utilize Handshake’s Help Center for additional support.
  • How are you maintaining trust and data security during the Job and Internship Fair?
    Please refer to Handshake’s dedicated article Virtual Fairs: Trust & Safety for more details. For more information on profile privacy, please see Profile Privacy Options in Handshake

Additional Helpful Resources for Attending a Virtual Fair