Employer General Information
What is the Work Abroad Fair?
On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, an estimated 50 employer representatives, from various countries and companies will descend on the Georgia Tech Student Center Ballroom to participate in the Work Abroad Fair sponsored by the Georgia Tech Division of Professional Practice. This will be an opportunity for employers locally and from around the world to meet Georgia Tech students seeking employment outside of the United States. Employers can offer co-op, internship, and/or full-time employment opportunities.
Why should I attend?
The recruitment of top-notch talent from America's best colleges and universities is a very competitive business. The Work Abroad fair is one of the best ways to meet a large number of students in one location, and gather hundreds of resumes from some of the brightest college students in the nation. It also represents a great opportunity to talk to students about the benefits of working for your company and to fill openings for co-op, internship and full-time positions. Students attend the Work Abroad Fair to gather information about industries and the application of their academic major to the work force.
What is the goal of the Work Abroad Fair?
The goal of the Work Abroad Fair is to help students secure domestic and international internship and co-op experiences that will help them move into internationally focused careers after graduation, while also assisting employers in finding future leaders for their companies in the 21st Century.
Who will attend the Work Abroad Fair?
Representatives from major companies, non-profits, government and non-governmental organizations attended the 2007 Georgia Tech Work Abroad Job Fair. Many of the same organizations, plus a few new ones, are expected to attend the 2008 Job Fair.
Must we have open positions overseas at the time of the Work Abroad Fair?
You are not required to have open positions overseas at the time of the Work Abroad Fair, but it is strongly recommended. Your internship and co-op positions do not need to be international, but they must be at least internationally-focused if they are in the United States.
How should we prepare?
Before the Work Abroad Fair- Make travel arrangements early - especially necessary hotel reservations. Major conventions are frequently held in Atlanta, often resulting in a shortage of hotel rooms.
- Review the Georgia Tech Web site to obtain general information about Georgia Tech, its programs and degree offerings.
- Clarify your goals for attending the Work Abroad fair. Have a clear understanding of the academic majors and more importantly, the skills being sought by your company or agency. Look beyond GPA and major - what are the functional requirements of the job?
- If possible, arrange to include recent graduates from Georgia Tech to assist you in representing your company at the Work Abroad fair. Students will often gravitate to employers where they see familiar faces.
- Wear comfortable business attire. (The students are instructed to dress in business attire if they are actively seeking employment.) Employer attire for the Work Abroad fair in recent years has varied. Some representatives dress in traditional business attire. Other company representatives like to present themselves as teams. The team members will typically dress in business casual, with the company name and logo embroidered on golf shirts. While planning your attire, remember that you will be standing for long periods of time!
- Work Abroad fair participants will be provided with chairs, a table and tablecloth. Company displays are recommended to advertise your presence. Also determine if your company will distribute premium items and company information.
- Develop a plan to handle the resumes that you will receive. The resumes of students whom you've identified as strong matches for existing and/or anticipated positions should be held separately to ensure quicker follow-up. PLEASE DO NOT TRASH RESUMES ON CAMPUS.
A minimum of two representatives per company is recommended to handle the student traffic during the busiest time, usually from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m.
During the Work Abroad Fair- Be proactive and invite students to visit your table if they seem hesitant.
- Remember that many of the students you meet may be intimidated by you and nervous. Exercise patience and flexibility!
- Manage the paperwork flow! Keep separate the resumes of those candidates of most interest to you.
- Before leaving the Work Abroad Fair on Tuesday, fill out a program evaluation form and return it to a Georgia Tech representative at the registration table.
