2025 Virtual Career Expo


2025 Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) Virtual Career Expo (VCE)

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 
Time: 12 PM - 4 PM ET / 11 AM – 3 PM CT / 10 AM - 2 PM MT / 9 AM - 1 PM PT 
Location:  Virtual; vFairs
Who to contact with questions: Contact Committee Co-Chairs: Colleen Gleeson (vce1@gradcareerconsortium.org) and Caitlin Deis (vce2@gradcareerconsortium.org)
 
The GCC-sponsored VCE is a virtual recruiting and networking experience designed to connect graduate students, postdocs, and alumni from STEM, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences fields, to employers using the vFairs platform.

Relevant Links & Resources


NEW FOR 2025

[1] This year the Virtual Career Expo will be hosted through vFairs. This new platform is more interactive for both employers and attendees and offers more modern features. Our committee hosted an info session to introduce the platform, the recording can be viewed here. 

vFairs event landing page: https://gccvirtualcareerexpo.vfairs.com/en

[2] This year, we are also offering two sponsorship packages for employers. The sponsorship package options can be viewed here. 

[3] What is the cost to register? (Employers)

We offer standard registration rates as well as add on sponsorship packages. See the costs below:

  • Standard Registration Rates
    • Early registration (10/31/24 - 1/15/25)
      • Industry - $495.00 
      • Non-profit/Government - $350.00
    • Regular Registration (1/16/25 - 2/19/25)
      • Industry - $595.00
      • Non-profit/Government - $450.00
    • Late Registration (2/20/25 - 3/4/25)
      • Industry - $650.00
      • Non-profit/Government $550.00
  • Sponsorship Packages (Add on)
    • Option 1 - $500 Sponsorship
      • Primary ad within the event lobby 
      • Virtual booth in a prominent location
      • Lobby ad linked to exhibit hall 
      • Company spotlight on event landing page
    • Option 2 - $250 Sponsorship
      • Secondary ad within the event lobby 
      • Virtual booth in a prominent location
      • Lobby ad linked to exhibit hall



IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES
Oct 31, 2024: Event is live on vFairs - employers can begin registering
Oct 31, 2024 - Jan 15, 2025: Employer Early Registration rate
Nov 22: Deadline for schools to email and submit contacts (Option A)
First week of Dec 2024: GCC VCE committee begins outreach to employer contacts
Jan 2025: Registration opens for students, postdocs, & alumni on the CareerEco site
Jan 16, 2025 - Feb 19, 2025: Employer Regular Registration rate
Feb 19, 2025: Last day for Schools to recruit 2-3 employers to participate (Option B)
Feb 20 , 2025- Mar 4, 2025: Employer Late Registration rate
Mar 5, 2025: Event date


HOW TO PARTICIPATE AS A GCC MEMBER INSTITUTION
The partnership between the GCC VCE and GCC member institutions allows students, postdocs, and alumni to take advantage of this virtual recruitment opportunity. The GCC VCE committee will handle event logistics but we rely on GCC member institutions to recruit employers and advertise the event on campus (the VCE committee will provide all of the marketing materials).There is no cost to member institutions. To participate as a GCC member institution, there are two (2) options to choose from based on your institution‘s resources: 

Option A: Institutions with access to a Career Center and/or Employer Relations – This option involves emailing and then submitting a list of 30 employer contacts to the VCE planning committee (template will be provided).

Option A process:

  1. Fill out the registration form and choose Option A - Email and submit 30 employer contacts.
  2. We ask that you email your contacts prior to submitting your list to the committee. We want them to know a formal invitation is coming. Click here for a marketing template. 
  3. After you email your 30 contacts, download the contacts template and send the complete template to vce1@gradcareerconsortium.org and vce2@gradcareerconsortium.org.  Deadline to email your contacts and submit is Friday, November 22, 2024. 
  4. The GCC VCE committee will send a formal invitation to your contacts in early December.

Option B: Institutions without access to a Career Center and/or Employer Relations – This option involves recruiting 2-3 employers to participate in the expo (which could include your own institution!)

Option B process:

  1. Fill out the registration form and choose Option B - Recruit 2-3 employers to participate."
  2. Recruit employers to participate - see editable template.
  3. Please tell your recruited employers to list your institution‘s name when they register for the question "How did you hear about the fair?" so that you receive credit for their registration.
  4. Once your employers have registered for the event, please confirm (via email) with the committee co-chairs.

Once a school completes all the requirements for the option selected, your school‘s name will be listed on the vFairs landing page as a host institution.
*If neither of the above options work for your institution and you still want to participate, please email the co-chairs to discuss alternatives.


EVENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
Why is the deadline so early?
The deadline is early so that schools can submit their employer contacts, and we can recruit employers before we open registration for the students & postdocs. Employers want to know what schools are participating, and students and postdocs want to know which employers are participating before they sign up. Therefore, it‘s a longer timeline with an earlier deadline.
 
Why do I have to email the employer contacts first?
Employers respond better to people/institutions they know. Having you send a personal email first encourages them to read the email, to register for the event and prepares them for the invite from our team.
 
I don‘t have any employer contacts to contact and submit and I don‘t know any employers to recruit, can my school still participate?
Please email the co-chairs at VCE@gradcareerconsortium.org to discuss options.
 
What about MBAs and JDs?
This fair is targeted to master‘s and PhD students and postdocs from STEM, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences fields. Those with professional degrees are welcome to attend, but the employers recruited are not specifically for those disciplines. We recommend only advertising to those from STEM, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences fields.
 
What if I don‘t email my employers?
Schools must email their employers to participate in the event.
 
When should employers register for the event?
As soon as possible! Early registration ends Jan. 15 and regular registration rates end Feb. 19th.
 
What platform will be used for the VCE?
This year, the event will be held via vFairs. This new platform is more interactive for both employers and attendees and utilizes a virtual reality aspect that makes the event almost feel real!
 
Other than recruiting employers, what else do I need to do? Do I need to do anything on the day of the fair?
Once you‘ve emailed and submitted your contacts or recruited 2-3 employers, all you need to do is advertise the event to your students & postdocs! Marketing materials will be provided. Trainee registration will open in January. No need to do anything on the day of the event!

Important Forms (linked)
Host Institution Registration Form
Template to Send to 30 Contacts
Template to Recruit Employers Individually 
Employer Contacts Excel Template