UW-Madison career fair uses smart-phone technology

UW-Madison Career Services units will use technology to benefit students and employers during the Spring Career and Internship Fair on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 4:30-8 p.m. at the Kohl Center.

“UW-Madison Career Services units are excited to use technology for smart phones at our career fairs,” says Maria McGinnis from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. “We hope to use quick response (QR) codes and Twitter to eventually cut down on paper usage while making the entire experience easier for students, alumni and employers to navigate.”

The printed employer information guide will be available to attendees, but new this year — it will be offered electronically using a scannable QR code. A QR code is a type of bar code that smart phones are able to scan by downloading an application. QR codes can be linked to a website or give contact information to those who the code.

QR codes will be featured on signs at employer tables during the fair to allow students and alumni to view company websites for important information.

The event will also have an official Twitter hashtag, #UWCF12, for attendees and employers to follow. Employers, attendees and Career Services staff will be encouraged to tweet about their experiences at the event, including jobs, pictures or any simple fun facts.

“Technology will help students make connections at the career fair, but we also hope to reduce the use of paper at our event in the future. Students are very tech-savvy and the Career Services units on campus are constantly changing to meet their needs,” says McGinnis.

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, College of Letters and Sciences, School of Education, School of Human Ecology, Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Wisconsin School of Business are working together to host the career fair.

All students, especially those looking for internships and full time jobs are encouraged to attend. UW–Madison alumni are also encouraged to attend. For a full listing of the companies attending in real time, students should log-on to BuckyNet (buckynet.org) and click “events.”

Students and alumni are encouraged to contact CALS Career Services at career@cals.wisc.edu or 608-262-3460 for more information.