Handshake’s third Virtual Fair Benchmark Report is here! It shares trends in student and employer engagement at virtual fairs hosted on Handshake in fall 2021.
Here are 3 main takeaways in case you’re bookmarking it for later:
1. A hybrid of in-person and virtual will become the predominant fair strategy in 2022
Here is a breakdown of career fair strategy by institution from August to November 2021.
![Career fair strategy by institution from August 1, 2021 to November 24, 2021.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/mz2hls6g/production/9d533df97d47351347c888fd2899155d283f2c92-948x798.png?w=3840&q=75&fit=clip&auto=format)
Career Fair Strategy by Institution in fall 2021
71% of students said that meeting employers virtually made it a less intimidating environment to learn about employers compared to in-person. So even as in-person fairs continue to ramp up, maintaining a virtual option is important for engaging all students.
2. Multi-school virtual fairs are on the rise as more institutions collaborate
In November 2021, 1 in 5 virtual fairs involved multiple institutions. Partnering with other schools helps attract a larger pool of employers for your students, and also share administrative work across institutions. For tips on hosting muti-school virtual fairs on Handshake, learn more here!
![Percentage of virtual fairs that were multi-school from August 1, 2021 to November 24, 2021.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/mz2hls6g/production/501cce0fc83966b06bddf519743b7a9248cbc679-1128x868.png?w=3840&q=75&fit=clip&auto=format)
Percentage of virtual fairs that were multi-school in fall 2021
3. 91K student and employer follow-up conversations were recorded post-fair
Our virtual fair updates in 2021 helped students follow up with recruiters they met 1:1 at virtual fairs more seamlessly. They’re prompted to send a message to recruiters right after their 1:1 session, allowing them to keep the conversation going after the fair ends.
![Student and employer engagement stats from August 1, 2021 to November 24, 2021.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/mz2hls6g/production/824a5574e215877e4ad5682a8ac925043ded926d-1116x932.png?w=3840&q=75&fit=clip&auto=format)
Post-fair student and employer engagement stats in fall 2021
If you’re interested in a deeper dive of your institution’s virtual fairs in Handshake, here are links to pull your own reports. Investigate session no-show rates, student and employer registration trends, and more!
- Virtual Engagement Dashboard
- Student Equity Dashboard
- Employer Relations Dashboard
- Career Fair Saved Reports
- DEI Saved Reports
Review or download the full Fall 2021 Virtual Fair Benchmark Report below: