Eighteen months ago, we all hunkered down at home, minimizing our contact with the outside world to reduce the chance of contracting the then mysterious, and now more infamous, coronavirus. This affected most everything we did – the way we worked, played, socialized – you name it. Every aspect of our lives was affected in one way or another.

We all had to adapt in ways that were foreign to us. We altered the way we communicated, we changed our processes, we were oftentimes more forgiving in our expectations as individuals adjusted at varying rates of speed. For the most part, we made it through comparatively unscathed. We had to sacrifice, especially from a social perspective. After all, the threat of viral invasion welcomed mass gatherings.

Now, for the most part, things are under relative control. While there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases more recently, the availability of vaccinations and other precautions have allowed for the “re-opening” of numerous activities. College campuses are opening back up to more in-person interaction, although a more conservative, if not hybrid, approach seems to be the trend.

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For those seeking internships or full-time employment upon graduation in the spring, the fall semester is a pivotal point in their college years. It often sets a tone for the recruiting process and is a time to build a network of contacts that very well may lead to promising opportunities. Career fairs are a significant part of this process with students having access to an abundance of employers right on campus … or via Zoom, as it may be.

Not all institutions, or employers for that matter, are ready to get back to the way career fairs used to be – shaking hands, meeting face-to-face in crowded ballrooms or activity centers. In fact, things may never go back to exactly the way they used to be as it relates to campus recruiting. For now, we, both employers and students, will need to continue to be adaptable, take precautions where necessary, and change gears between in-person and virtual discussions as warranted, depending on the institution, state orders, and personal preferences.

In the meantime, we will continue to meet students on the terms in which they feel most comfortable, whether that be donning masks face-to-face or via computer screens through the wonder of technology. After all, isn’t adaptability a valued trait of both student and employer?

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