Did COVID-19 Change College Campus Recruiting Forever?

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on college recruiting trends. Before determining the future of recruiting events, a detailed outline of the logistics needed to plan a large-scale career fair event, specifically the Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) career fair, is analyzed. SCMA is a student-run undergraduate organization at Arizona State University that hosts many professional events and opportunities for undergraduate students. Every semester, SCMA hosts a career fair that attracts desirable small and large companies across all industries. The logistics for both the in-person and virtual SCMA career fair are examined in the paper, with project scheduling, contingency planning, and benchmark data made available. Based on the comparison of both career fair formats, the strengths and weaknesses of each have been identified. Ultimately, the future of college career fairs is proposed based on survey feedback from SCMA career fair attendees, external research, and key discussion points throughout the report.