EVENT OVERVIEW
The Next Generation of Virtual Career Fairs

At HBCU CONNECT, we’re revolutionizing the way students, employers, and higher education institutions connect through innovative virtual experiences. Join us for the 2nd edition of our Fall Virtual Career Fair—an exciting opportunity to engage with over 5,000 talented and diverse professionals and students from across the nation, primarily from HBCUs.
EVENT LOCATION

This will be a virtual event hosted on the vFairs leading online career fair platform. Official link to be provided to participating employers. 		EVENT DATE

October 21st from 9am to 5pm ET 		TARGET AUDIENCE

Over 5,000 Diverse Professionals and Students Nationwide


Registered Employers: Next Steps
Virtual Event Instructions & Prep Guide

Already signed up? Download our comprehensive employer prep guide to hit the ground running on event day. This guide covers everything you need to get your virtual booth ready and maximize your recruiting results:

✓Step-by-step booth setup on the vFairs platform
✓Uploading your logo, marketing materials, and job listings
✓Registering booth reps and team members
✓Pre-event tech check and system requirements
✓Day-of timeline, chat tips, and recruiter best practices
✓Post-event candidate follow-up and resume access

▼ DOWNLOAD PREP GUIDE (PDF)
KEY DATES

October 14th
Exhibitor Deadline

October 16th
Booth Setup Due

October 21st
Event Day: 9am-5pm ET

World-Class Companies Trust HBCU CONNECT




The vFairs Virtual Environment



A Closer Look at Our Last Virtual Career Fair
5,000
Candidates registered to attend 		2,400+
Attendees on the day of the event 		72
Companies with Booth Space, over 400 recruiters
50K+
Visits to the booths and 39,200 chat messages sent 		1,700+
Applies to the jobs posted on the different booths 		6
Professional Development sessions that have received 2,839 views
Request Exhibitor Details
Interested in signing up as a Sponsor/Exhibitor? Please fill out the form below and we follow up within 1 business day!
First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Phone: (optional for text/sms reminders)
Company Name:
Company Website:
Sponsorship Level of Interest:
WHY SPONSOR
Why Exhibit at Our Event?
Position your company at the forefront of innovation, opportunity, and impact by becoming an exhibitor at our premier event.

Direct Access to Top HBCU Talent

Gain exclusive access to a pool of highly qualified and diverse candidates from HBCUs across the country. This event is your opportunity to connect with students and alumni who bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills that can enrich your organization.


Showcase Your Commitment to Merit Based Recruitment

Demonstrate your organization’s commitment to diverse talent by participating in an event that supports underrepresented communities. Engaging with HBCU students and alumni demonstrates your company's dedication to inclusivity and valuing diverse voices.


Efficient and Cost-Effective Recruiting

Maximize your recruiting efforts without the need for travel or logistical planning. This virtual event allows you to connect with a broad range of candidates in a convenient and interactive format, making it easier to find the right talent for your organization while saving time and resources.






EMPLOYERS & EXHIBITORS

Sponsorship Packages


Title Sponsor
 Session Sponsor
 Booth Sponsor
 K12 & .EDU
Recruitment Booth in Career Fair Area
Logo listed on event landing page
List of all attendee resumes
Your organization listed as sponsor for one of the 1-hour professional development sessions
Your organization can provide the speaker for the professional development session and input on the topic
Mention in opening and closing remarks
Virtual Private Interview Rooms
Dedicated Email Blast to invite candidates to see your recruiters at the event/booth
Keynote Speaking Opportunity (15 Minutes during event kickoff)
Logo integrated into event landing page, all marketing materials, registration page, and virtual environment




Frequently Asked Questions
What is The ROI from This Event

  1. Interviews and Hires! At our typical recruitment reception for one of our clients with the toughest profile (IT/Software candidates) they were able to hire 12 candidates within 30 days of just one of our events. Most of our clients also are repeat customers and we have a waiting list for our services to host events such as this, which actually drove us to present this "networking and recruitment reception" format for multiple employers in one venue. We will deliver candidate resumes before and after the event, and we will also market your company and specific opportunities to candidates prior to the event to maximize the ROI for your participation.
  2. Branding! Our advertising campaign, and actual weekend events will draw over 100,000 media impressions from professional African Americans in the mid-west considering our event and our partner's career opportunities.
  3. Pipeline Creation! We collect resumes from all interested attendees for every event and deliver a pipeline of hundreds of candidates that can be categorized by data points such as location, college, major, experience, industry, educational level, open to relocation, and more!

What Content do We Provide for The Event?

We will share your Video or Powerpoint slide content during our Career Fair.
Here is content you can share in your video or powerpoint slides:

  • Introduce your company and the types of roles you typically hire for.
  • Locations where you have openings, and maybe selling points for those locations.
  • A pitch for working for your company. Why would someone love working for your company?
  • Your statement regarding diversity and its importance to your company.

How many Students and Graduates will be In Attendance?

  • Students: Over 1,500
  • Graduates: Over 2,500

How can I maximize engagement with candidates during the online career fair?

To maximize engagement, ensure your virtual booth is well-organized with clear and appealing content, such as company videos, job listings, and brochures. Utilize the chat and video features to interact with candidates in real time. Hosting live Q&A sessions or sponsoring a session during our event can also attract more candidates to your booth.

What should I include in my company profile to attract diverse talent?

Your company profile should highlight your commitment to diversity and inclusion, including any initiatives or programs that support underrepresented groups. Include success stories or testimonials from diverse employees, details about your company culture, and information on career development opportunities. Clear job descriptions with inclusive language can also help attract the right candidates.

How can I identify and engage with top candidates efficiently?

Before the event, review the resumes we share to identify potential candidates. Use filters and search tools within vFairs to narrow down candidates based on qualifications, experience, and interests. During the event, make use of the chat function to reach out to these candidates directly. Afterward, follow up with promising candidates to keep them engaged and informed about the next steps.

What are the best practices for conducting virtual interviews during the career fair?

Prepare structured questions that align with your company’s core competencies and the specific role you’re hiring for. Get familiar with the vFairs platform in advance to ensure smooth communication. Keep the interviews concise but comprehensive, allowing time for candidates to ask questions. Providing immediate feedback or outlining the next steps at the end of the interview can leave a positive impression on the candidates.

How can I measure the success of my participation in the online career fair?

Measure success by tracking the number of candidate interactions, resumes collected, and interviews conducted during the event. Assess the quality of candidates by reviewing how many move forward in the recruitment process. Additionally, gather feedback from your team on the ease of use of the platform and from candidates on their experience with your booth. This data can help us refine our process and make for better events in the future.

The sponsorship page says we would get a list of resumes. Does that mean the ability to search and review resumes?

We provide a spreadsheet of all attendee resumes pre-event and post event. They can contact any of those candidates that are of interest.

Are participants required to submit those prior to the event?

Yes, resumes are submitted prior to the event on our landing page (as with all events).

Do you provide technical support for employers on setting up their virtual booths and other aspects of participation?

Yes, we will provide technical support setting up the virtual booths and all aspects of participation including vFairs team if necessary.

Will all HBCUS be participating? If not, which ones can we expect?

We will have students and graduates from ALL HBCUs. Final numbers will be shared closer to the event.

Is there a sample schedule of events for the day (keynote/speaker sessions, networking, etc.)? What time is the career fair?

We have an agenda and schedule on our event page (https://hbcuconnect.com/event) but will fill up the schedule as employers sign on as “session sponsors” choosing the various professional development topics that they would like to present.

How many staff members can we have at the virtual booth?

There is not a hard limit with vFairs for this. We are happy to accommodate.

When is the exhibitor deadline?

We’d like to have everyone signed up by October 14th 2026.

What are the terms & agreements for a booth sponsor exhibitor? Would you be able to provide a sample agreement for our Legal team to review?

Please click here to view the document.

How many companies will participate this year, and what are the size/type of companies?

We are anticipating over 60 companies to join us for our 2026 virtual event. During our recent 2025 virtual gathering, we saw participation from 50 companies spanning a wide range of sectors, including software, pharmaceuticals, government, and education. The size of these companies varied greatly, with employee counts ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 worldwide. You can find a list of the participating companies on our landing page for the 2025 virtual event here: https://hbcuconnect.com/resumes/?cid=308

Will the candidates be provided any information about the companies attending so they can prepare to meet with us?

Yes, we will list all participating companies with a link to your careers page on our event landing page prior to the event (as soon as you sign up and provide us with this information, which we will request as a part of our process).

How do we directly connect with candidates after the event for those we want to move forward in the interviewing process?

We will provide you with a list of all candidates that visited your booth and those that you engaged in the chat. You will have their contact information and resume (if provided) such that you can follow up. Your recruiters should take notes on those that they would like to follow up with based on conversations had at the event.