Intersect 2017 takes place on March 8, 2017, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. All conference attendees are invited to attend the Employer Showcase, which will be open from 1-4pm PST. The Employer Showcase is a key part of our Intersect 2017 conference, and in this post, we’re going to walk you through what it is, why it’s important, and provide suggestions for how to get the most from your experience.
What It Is
The Employer Showcase is an expo hosted by Udacity, featuring 25 of our employer partners. Company representatives—which will include recruiters, hiring managers, engineers, and more—are coming from as far away as China and Germany, and as close by as Mountain View. They are here to meet students, demo their technologies, and promote their open roles to our talented community.
Why It’s Important
As a conference attendee, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and engage with our partners, and lay the foundation for important future relationships. This will be an opportunity to learn about their companies, ask questions about available roles, and get a sense of the kind of team you’ll want to join. Getting to interact with these recruiters, hiring managers, and engineers is a vital research opportunity, and potentially the start of important relationships that could directly inform your future career success.
How To Make The Most Of It
We’ve provided a detailed list of high-priority roles our partner companies are currently hiring for, which can be found here. We encourage you to review these roles, and research any that seem compelling before the conference. This way, you’ll know ahead of time who you want to talk to, and what you’ll want to talk about. While the on-site representative may not be the one hiring for the particular role you’re interested in, they’ll likely know how to connect you to the right person, so don’t hesitate to mention any role you’re pursuing!
We also highly recommend reviewing the FAQs below, as the information provided will help ensure you’re able to make the most of your time at the conference.
If you are attending the conference, but are not planning on going to the Employer Showcase—or if you’re joining us remotely via livestream—we encourage you to still do the following:
1. Read the FAQs, as they provide excellent guidance for attending any event of this nature.
2. Review the detailed list of roles that our partner companies are currently hiring for; the list can be found here. If you see something that looks promising, research the company, and apply!
FAQs
What’s the best use of my time at the Employer Showcase?
Use this time to get to know the partner representatives. Ask questions about the role you’re interested in, or ask questions about what it’s like to work at the company. Do not assume that dropping off your resume at a booth is equivalent to a job application. Going to a booth is just networking and research—you still have to actually apply to the role.
Pro tip: Whether you end up applying for a role or not, make sure to follow up and thank the individual for their time. You never know when you might meet them again, or when this connection may prove valuable. Plus, it’s just nice to say thank you!
Why are these companies coming to Intersect 2017?
Our hiring partners are coming with a desire to build connections with you, and potentially even find candidates for open roles.
What should I wear?
Intersect is a professional conference in Silicon Valley, so business casual is appropriate. That means slacks or skirt, a work top. No need for a suit or formal jacket.
What should I bring?
Bring business cards and printed resumes. While we definitely recommend following up directly with everyone you meet, it’s important to be able to leave a physical reminder about yourself as well. These individuals will be meeting a lot of people, so you don’t want to just assume they’ll remember you.
Pro tip: When you follow up, keep it concise, professional, and polite, but if you can, try to make brief mention of what you discussed, to help them remember who you are!
How long should I talk to anyone at a booth?
Spend just a few minutes talking to a person at a booth—no need to overdo it! Ask a few questions, make a memorable connection, and allow them to talk to the next person. Remember to treat them like a person—no need to be overly formal.
What kinds of questions are appropriate to ask?
Use this opportunity to find out more about what it’s like to work at their company. Here are some examples of questions you might ask:
Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
What is the typical career path for someone in this role?
What is a good goal to have upon completing the showcase?
Ideally, you want to meet the recruiters or hiring managers who are responsible for the specific roles you’re interested in. You’ll want to follow-up with these individuals promptly with your resume, and a statement of interest in the role.
Pro tip: When you apply for a particular role, make sure you do so directly through the online application (in addition to following up over email with anyone you meet at the Employer Showcase). Emails can fall between the cracks, but applications are guaranteed to be in their system!
Are the roles you’ve listed the only roles these companies are recruiting for?
Every company on this list is recruiting for many other roles, so don’t let this list limit your search. These jobs were shared because the people joining us from these companies are personally focused on helping fill these particular roles.
Pro tip: When you’re networking with a recruiter, remember that not every recruiter at a given company is knowledgeable about every role. You still need to push forward your own applications by applying directly.
I’m not able to attend Intersect 2017 in person, how can I engage with these companies?
You can use the company links we’ve provided to research the companies on your own. Ultimately, everyone still has to drive their own job search by applying to roles directly. While attending a job fair or expo can help you gain more insight into a company or role, it is not sufficient only to attend—you still have to do the hard work of applying to jobs and using tools like Linkedin to network with individuals at the company.
Pro tip: If you’re not attending in person, make sure to watch the livestream. Not only will you benefit from the great insight and inspiration on offer, you’ll also have talking points to lead off with when you approach a recruiter from one of the partner companies in attendance!
Learning for the Jobs of Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond
Our conference theme is Learning for the Jobs of Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond, and the Employer Showcase is a perfect opportunity to experience this theme in action. Our partner companies are some of the most innovative, forward-thinking companies in the world, and they’re coming to Intersect because they’re seeking the kind of talent that will continue to propel them forward. This is your chance to make important connections with the individuals who make the hiring decisions, to learn what they’re seeking in their candidates, and to identify specific roles you’re interested in pursuing.
It is impossible the overestimate the importance of face-to-face networking, so do your homework ahead of time, and be ready on the 8th to meet your future!
Remember, to see which roles our partner companies are hiring for, visit the list here!
See you at the Intersect 2017 Employer Showcase!
