On Friday, Northeastern’s Career Development department will host its annual Senior Career Conference for students looking to carve out their career paths beyond college.

Here is all the information you need to know:

The who, what, and where

•    The half-day conference is from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Stearns Center. Dress is business casual.
•    Representatives from more than 20 employers will be on hand. Find the full employer list on the Career Development website.
•    The event is targeted primarily to Northeastern seniors, though juniors and recent graduates may also attend.
•    Registration ahead of time, via NUcareers, is encouraged. Students can also register at the event.

The conference format

The conference begins with a networking lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., during which students will have the opportunity to mingle with their peers as well as employer representatives and career development staff, eat free food, and learn more about the employers present at the event. Students can also use this time to plot out their schedules for the rest of the afternoon. Attendees can move between sessions in three parallel program tracks taking place after lunch:

1)    Roundtable discussions will each include an employer, Career Development staff, and a small group of students. Each is 30 minutes long, and topics include the elevator pitch and networking strategies, building your personal brand, the global job search, advanced interviewing, tips for starting your job, resumés and online applications, and using social media in the job search.
2)    Employer panels will feature professionals discussing career-related issues. One panel will include young alumni, while others will focus on topics such as networking 101 and advice from recruiters.
3)    Employer-in-residence sessions will offer students the chance to meet individually with employer representatives. Students are encouraged to arrive early to the conference to sign up for these 15-minute sessions.

“This is a great opportunity for seniors to meet with employers,” said Faith Bade, a coordinator in Career Development who focuses primarily on preparing seniors for their careers. “They can connect one-on-one with employers-in-residence, and they can engage in in-depth conversations during panel discussions and roundtables on a range of topics.”

How to prepare ahead of time

Bade recommended that students practice their elevator pitches and research the participating companies they’re interested in learning more about at the conference. Career Development will also have a table at the event to help students hone their pitches. While the conference is not a job fair and isn’t focused on job interviews, Bade encouraged students to arrive prepared with up-to-date copies of their resumés.

Also check out these other career tips for jobseeking seniors, and follow @CareerCoachNU and search #NUSCC17 on Twitter for more conference details.