In elementary school, Kelsey Dobbs wanted to start a cupcake shop and fulfill her childhood love for baking. Although she still occasionally dabbles in those delicacies of frosted swirls with sprinkles on top, Dobbs, a junior strategic and corporate communication major at Chapman University, now looks ahead to the near future in search for a marketing position at a lifestyle company.

So Dobbs attended Chapman’s Spring Career Fair March 4, throwing on a blouse, some good pants and basketball slides before logging on to the virtual event. 

“It was nice to get an idea of what I’m interested in, as well as what I can actually achieve or put myself out there to do,” Dobbs said of the fair. “They’re selling their company to you just as much as you’re trying to sell yourself to them. It was like putting stuff in your shopping cart and deleting them as you go.”

The career fair hosted 50 businesses and over 400 current students and alumni, making it the second highest turnout to a career fair in Chapman’s history, according to Haley Wragg, the director of marketing and engagement for Chapman’s Office of Career and Professional Development. Wragg said completing the event felt like finishing a marathon. 

“There’s so much effort, coordination and time that goes into making these events possible,” Wragg said. “One of the best things about Chapman is that every year, we improve this event more and more. Taking 10 minutes out of your day to attend a session is such a good exploratory experience to have.”

Employers attending the fair included Target, Wix, AAA, Herbalife, Nordstrom and Monster Energy. Michael Payne, a Chapman alumnus from the class of 2016 and director of sales at Silk Software, a digital agency focused on e-commerce solutions, said they attend career fairs — particularly at Chapman — because it helps them develop a stronger relationship with their hires.

“We feel that hiring at the college level is going to give us a step up on our competition. But also, we feel that those resources can hit the ground running at our company,” Payne said. “Chapman has been a great source of good talent and educated individuals with a good head on their shoulders, who can bring in value (on) day one.” 

Participants had the option to attend group sessions or schedule one-on-one sessions with employers beforehand. Payne said the latter allowed for a more personal aspect and provided a more targeted audience. 

“Previous career fairs, we put a booth together and it’s a shotgun, high output conversation,” Payne said. “(The one-on-one sessions) created a bit of a filtering capability where if you’re in the room, you’re truly interested, you can ask the right questions and make decisions earlier on in the process.”

Dobbs took advantage of the one-on-one opportunity to meet with E. & J. Gallo Winery for a marketing position. 

“I’m very much a people person, so being able to have that one-on-one communication with an actual employer or representative is everything,” Dobbs said. “It’s more like a coffee chat. It’s not like you’re sitting there with your resume and you have to be on your best behavior.”

Franciska Castillo, the director of Chapman’s Office of Career and Development, said it’s not all black and white in deciding whether a virtual career fair could ultimately be better for students — attendees could just as easily have internet issues as in-person issues like hitting traffic, she said. Despite varying pros and cons, Wragg claimed that the virtual fair provides more accessibility and scalability to students. 

“There are alumni and students that have to work that can’t take a day off to come to a career fair and meet with one employer,” Wragg said. “In a virtual setting, they get to spend their time in a more targeted and strategic way without giving up personal or work time.” 

With a tough job market awaiting graduates, Castillo wants to remind students to take advantage of the opportunities the Office of Career and Professional Development has to offer. 

“You have a network within Chapman that’s here for you. You just have to reach out to us,” Castillo said. “Keep staying in the game, creating opportunities for yourself and let us be a part of that journey to help you.”

Dobbs is ready to face the challenge and put the cherry on top of her college experience.

“Having a loose plan and being OK with being flexible is where I’m at,” Dobbs said. “I feel really well-prepared.”