The Creative School Career Fair equips students with valuable skills to help land job opportunities

After spending two years behind a computer screen, students at The Creative School had the opportunity to speak, network and get to know creative media and marketing recruiters at the Get Hired Career Fair. The career fair hosted a number of companies from across the creative industries, including Dynamite, Garage, TSN and CBC. 

Danny Eid, Employer Engagement Specialist at the Career Co-op & Student Success Centre supporting The Creative School, said that this was the first time the Get Hired Career Fair was in-person. Eid emphasized that the change from virtual to in-person can help students build deeper connections with recruiters because there is equal communication on both ends of the conversation. Additionally, the face-to-face communication allows employers to take a mental picture of the person behind the resume. 

“There’s sort of a taboo when meeting employers. You may be a little intimidated, but meeting them in-person changes everything,” he said. “I hope this event instilled confidence in students because when these professionals fill a company, they can trust themselves more to speak up about concerns and handle assigned tasks properly. I saw that a bit of nervous energy go away when they were chatting face-to-face with employers.”

Fifth-year Creative Industries student Cadance Tan said communicating with the hiring representatives face-to-face allowed her to get a sense of the different work cultures within each company. She said this helped guide her towards jobs that matched her personality. 

“By talking with people, you can learn more about yourself, your interests, and the general job market,” said Tan. “Having that ability to see their facial expressions, body language, and the energy they bring is important because they're representing the company you want to be a part of. ” 

Career Education Specialist Jennifer Bradley said every job interview is a learning experience and learning how to talk with hiring representatives helps students leave a memorable lasting impression that lands them future job opportunities. 

“Even if there are employers you are not aware of or think are initially interesting, there is still that added value of talking to them and learning from them,” said Bradley. “Sometimes it's not apparent what you want to move into next after your time at TMU, but the ability to talk to insiders within the industry and learn about their needs can help shape you in the direction. The ability to do that all in one place- what a great experience.”

The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University

The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.