The BIG10 Academia Career Fair will be held VIRTUALLY using the Handshake career fair platform. A virtual format will enhance the experience, allowing you to:Meet with academies and research organizations. Interact with recruiters
through video, audio, or chat.
Discover new tenure, non-tenure track (lecturers, researchers,...etc.), postdoctoral trainee career opportunities. All levels of graduate students and postdocs (1st years to those finishing) are welcome to explore career opportunities in academia and research.
Never wait in line, ever. Pre-schedule individual and/or group sessions
with organizations ahead of the fair or on the day-of the career fair. Be fair warned that both types of sessions are limited, so don't miss out!


Ohio State University Postdocs who need a Handshake account:If you are listed as an Ohio State Post-Doctoral Scholar or Post-Doctoral Scholar-NRSA in WorkDay, then you are eligible for a FREE Handshake account. Handshake is a platform used by over 900 colleges and universities, including Ohio State, that provides you with access to thousands of fellowships, postdocs (if you are looking for a 2nd one), or academic careers, as well as industry jobs! To request your FREE Handshake account, you will need to:  Email Buckeye Careers at Handshake@osu.edu  Put “Postdoc requesting a Handshake account” in the subject line  Provide your full name, department, and your employee ID (the 9-digit number on your Buck ID) in the body of the message  Please allow several days to a full week for your account request to be processed, so plan aheadGraduate Students & Postdocs at all other BIG10 Universities:Please check with your career services office, Office of Graduate Education or Graduate School, and/or Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to determine if and how you can participate in The BIG10 Academia Career Fair virtually on Handshake. For Purdue & Penn State, we have provided specific instructions from Handshake for you to utilize a workaround since your universities are not on Handshake at all.  If you know you want a career in academia or research, then we highly recommend you submit a Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) no matter where you are in your program, as some organizations will track your progress over the next several years. You can submit your C.V. by utilizing the link provided in the "Your registered" email that Handshake sends once you are registered for The BIG10 Academia Career Fair. Submission of a C.V. is not required to participate in this career fair, but is highly encouraged. DEADLINE for C.V. submissions is Tuesday,October 8th at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. This is a HARD deadline, so submit early just in case you have technical difficulties. I also recommend you add your C.V. on Handshake, as this platform is a great place to searchand apply for positions at your level.  NOTE: For those who are not listed as Post-Doctoral Scholars/NRSA in WorkDay, you will not be able to attend the virtual career fair, but you will be able to share your C.V. withall academies and research organizations if you choose to share it via the Qualtrics survey. Register to join the career fair and you will get a bounce back email from Handshake with the Qualtrics survey link or email Jeremy Hale.516@osu.edu to request the link.What do I do once I have registered for this event?You will need to
register for this career fair on Handshake first, then you must sign up for individual or group recruiter sessions: Group Sessions (30 minute Info session) and/or 1:1 Individual Sessions (10 minute chat with recruiter).To join us, click the blue "Register" button (don't see one, then make sure you are logged into your Handshake account!). Once registered, you can add sessions with recruiters for specific organizations attend the career fair.Get ready for The BIG10 Academia Career Fair!Get ready for the virtual recruitment event by reviewing Handshake's Guide to Attending a Virtual Career Fair. For information on specific topics, click the links below:The Virtual Fair on HandshakeIdentifyinga virtual fairRegistering and signing up for sessionsPreparing for the fairParticipating in the fairFollowing up after the fairFAQsWhen can I startregistering for sessions at The BIG10 Academia Career Fair?Immediately! You MUST register AND sign up for 1:1 and Group Sessions in order to participate in this virtual career fair on Handshake. If you don't see any sessions available, check back! Employers may add sessions at any time up to the date of the fair!To sign up for Group or 1:1 Individual sessions, youmay be prompted to update your profile privacy setting. It is recommendedthat you use Community to make the most of your Handshake experience, asthis will allow you to participate in all sessions and engage with other students/alumni.For more information on profile privacy, please see Profile Privacy Options in Handshake.Who should attend the The BIG10 Academia Career Fair?All Graduate Students (M.S. and Ph.D.) and Postdoctoral Trainees are welcome to attend this virtual career fair. We highly encourage 1st year MS/PhD/Postdocs & 2nd thru 3rd-year PhDs, as well as early postdoctrainees to explore future careers and build your professional network within Higher Education (as many keep records on their interactions with you). Those of you within 18 months of completing your program or training should consider this a MUST attend career fair and explore your tenure, non-tenure track, and research career options.How will I engage with employers at The BIG10 Academia Career Fair?To engage with employers at the networking event, you must register for the networking event AND sign up forgroup and/or individual sessions with employers.For details on this process, please see Signing Up for & Managing Virtual Fair Sessions.Review which organizations are attending the event (follow employers you want to check back in with). Make sure to do your research on the top organizations of interest to you and determine how you see your skillsets fitting into their organization.You'll be able to sign up for sessions at any point, even during the career fair (as long as the session hasn't started).What arethe technical requirements for using virtual events, video, and chat?Refer to Handshake's Video Requirements and Troubleshooting Guide for more information.Who can I contact for help on the day of the event?Visit the Zoom help room associated with the career fair. See the event for the help room link. The password is 7373, if needed.Accessibility information for OSU studentsIf you have a Disability and rely on a screen reader or the keyboard for access to your computer you will experience difficulty using Handshake. As the University works with Handshake to improve accessibility,please contact eng-ecs@osu.edu for assistance in navigating and using this application. A member of the team will respond within 2 business days to assist you.