IBA sets the bar with Pakistan’s first Virtual Career Fair

KARACHI: The Institute of Business Administration held its first ever Virtual Career Fair on March 17 which saw a large number of potential employers and students eager to join the workforce interact with each other remotely.

According to a statement by the varsity, owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was held virtually “so that attendees would not be deprived of a much-awaited opportunity”.

Geo, Jang and Interlink Multi Media were proud media partners for the fair, which featured 53 employers with over 9,000 students and alumni registering for the event, and an on-day footfall of over 6,000.

The companies that participated this year ranged from the banking sector to the e-commerce industry and also featured software development firms.

The firms present featured over 200 vacancies which received over 7,000 applications.

According to IBA, the fair, an annual event, helps provide “both corporate companies as well as emerging ventures with the chance to engage with the diverse community of IBA”.

To allow for digital participation, a custom built Vfair platform was used, previously also utilized by prestigious institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“The platform allowed employers to make use of its multifaceted features such as the auditorium for webinars and the exhibition halls for their booths,” said the statement.

According to IBA, students said “the experience was like none other” and appreciated the ease of use which allowed them to apply for jobs from the safety and comfort of their homes.

The varsity had also organised career counselling sessions for students on the fence about which line of work to pursue.

Additionally, on-campus students were assisted by alumni and “multiple labs were designated for those who wished to access the event on campus”.