Tech & Data Careers Day (2022 date TBC)

Please Note

The information below relates to our 2020/21 event, which was held online. We will be providing similar opportunities for you to connect with employers in semester 2 but the format for these events is not yet confirmed.

Why should I attend?

This event is for students from all subject areas who are interested in what a career in tech could mean for them - there are opportunities for all. Around half of the organisations attending will be recruiting students from any discipline.
It offers a chance to challenge your thinking on what a career in tech looks like - the event aims to showcase a range of opportunities and types of organisation of all sizes that come under the Careers in Tech & Data banner.
It is an easy way to chat to a range of organisations offering work experience and graduate roles related to tech. You can speak to people working there to find out what it is like, get tips for your applications, and ask questions not covered by their websites.
Aswell as chatting to employers who are actively recruiting, talk to the professional and membership bodies exhibiting; they can offer great insights into the overall labour market giving you a solid basis for making decisions and applications.
It doesn’t matter what stage you are at in your course or in planning your career, come along to this event and find out about options for your future.
Careers Service staff will be there to offer additional support, information and advice.

It’s great to have a Tech & Data specific event. It was really good; I spoke to several companies who encouraged me to get in touch

Student attendee 2020

Schedule of events

Tech & Data Careers Day will take place on Wednesday 10th February 2021

08:00 - Midnight: Access to online site and pre-recorded resources, including playlists to help you prepare for the day, explore the tech and data landscape in Scotland and hear from alumni who never thought they'd work in tech
11:00 – 11:30: Help and advice on tackling technical interviews/exercises
12:00 – 16:00: Tech & Data Careers Fair Online
17:00 – 18:00: Making effective CVs and Applications

Find out more and register your interest in the surrounding sessions on MyCareerHub (MyCareerHub login required)

Top tips to make the most of the event

Do your research: think about who you want to speak to and why. In advance of the event you can see the list of exhibiting organisations below and on the MyCareerHub event page. You can also sign in from 8am on Wednesday 10^th February and start browsing stands before exhibitors are available to talk between 12 and 4pm.
Take full advantage of the opportunity: During the fair don’t just browse stands. Each exhibitor will have live representatives waiting and keen to talk to you, make sure to request live text or video chats with them.
Give yourself enough time: Just as with face-to-face careers fairs, there may be queues to speak to exhibitors. Give yourself enough time to speak to those exhibitors that are your top priority.
Be mindful of professional etiquette: make sure to use appropriate language and tone when speaking to employers. Also make sure your background is appropriate for any video calls and that you’re dressed in a way you would be at a face-to-face careers fair.

How do I prepare?

Online events are different to face to face events. You will need to do more preparation in advance. Attend one of our Prepare for Tech & Data Careers Day 2021 sessions to find out more (recordings of these sessions will be available here as soon as possible after the sessions)
- Wednesday 3rd February, 1:00 - 1:30pm, for students outside of Informatics
- Thursday 4th February, 11:00 - 11:30am for Informatics students
Go to Mediahopper to watch our quick video guide on using and navigating the event in EventsAir and it's OnAir portal.
Demonstrate your interest by researching the organisations involved - their MyCareerHub profiles (linked below under the 'who am I going to meet' section), websites, social media pages are a good place to start.
Explore the 'good questions to ask employers' section below for pointers on preparing for conversations on the day.

Good questions to ask employers

Careers Fairs are an excellent opportunity to explore options, have interesting conversations, and practise your networking skills. This platform allows you to initiate both text and video conversations with the exhibitors. Talking to employers online can feel different but the advice is the same, if you were the recruiter, what would you like to be asked about? Recruiters like questions. Posing informed, well-researched questions is a great way to impress potential employers while also gaining the information you need to make your own mind up about an opportunity.

Top tips for conversations with employers:

Questions should not just focus on what you want to know. Use them to show your understanding of the company, the positions they have available and the wider industry. These don’t have to just spring to mind during the chat – your questions can be prepared ahead of time.
Use our Guide to Informational interviews as a starting point and note down at least 5 questions while you are researching – so when you’re chatting you’ll have plenty to choose from.
Avoid generic questions like “what do you do?” by doing research and familiarising yourself with the information already available in each stall.
Have notes to refer to; this is a huge perk of the digital environment.
Drop by the Careers Service support stand to practice asking questions. Approach employers you’re less interested in first; hone your phrasing so you’re happy with the impression you make on your preferred recruiters.

Examples of good questions to ask employers:

What is a typical day like for them?
What has been the most unexpected thing about joining the company?
What are the challenges facing the organisation at the moment?
What differentiates them from their competitors?
What attracted them to this industry/company/job?
What are they most excited or concerned about for this industry/company/career path in the future?
What are the common misconceptions about working in this company?
What are some of the defining characteristics of the graduates who have been hired by the company in the past?
What do they enjoy most about this industry/company/job?

Do I need to book?

Yes, register via MyCareerHub for access to Tech & Data Careers Day and the Tech & Data Careers Fair Online on Wednesday 10th February 2021.

You will have access to browse stands and resources within the virtual event from 8am until midnight on Wednesday 10th February but please be aware that the exhibition is only open between 12pm – 4pm on Wednesday 10th February, and it is during these times that you can chat to exhibitors. During this period (12pm - 4pm) the option to "Request live video/audio chat" or "Request live text chat" will become available. This puts you into the queue to chat to someone from that organisation.

Find out more and register your interest in the surrounding sessions on MyCareerHub (MyCareerHub login required)

Accessibility

The Careers Service aims to be accessible to all users. If you have any specific needs please contact the Careers Service to make approproate arrangements.

Contact careers@ed.ac.uk

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please be aware that we have been alerted to a scam which is charging students to attend fairs. Please be aware that there is NO COST TO ATTEND this fair or any of our other fairs during the academic year. If you do come across similar scams please alert these to the Careers Service as soon as possible.

Feb 10 2021 12.00 - 16.00