The Sept. 29 career fair will give iSchool students an opportunity to explore internships and jobs, meet potential employers and begin building professional relationships.
The iSchool at the School of Computing Career Fair will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Texas Union Shirley Bird Perry Ballroom. The event is open to all iSchool students, regardless of major or degree level.
Sebastian Araya, career coach at the iSchool at the School of Computing, helps students strengthen their resumes and prepare for the fair. Here are some of his principal recommendations.
Approach Your Resume Strategically
“A resume is a strategic marketing document that highlights the best parts of your candidacy,” Araya said. “It is not a biography, a list of everything you have done or a generic document. You have to select the most relevant information for your career goals and customize it for each role.”
Review your resume with the internships or jobs you are seeking in mind. Different positions call for different strengths, so the experiences and skills you emphasize should reflect each opportunity.
Students should also consider the two audiences that may review their resumes: the recruiter or hiring manager and the applicant tracking system, commonly called an ATS.
“You have to keep both audiences in mind,” Araya said. “We do not always know which system an employer uses, so my advice is to refine and craft your resume for the applicant tracking system as well as the recruiter or hiring manager.”
Use familiar section headings, straightforward formatting and terminology from relevant job descriptions. Avoid complicated layouts or excessive graphics that could make the document difficult to scan. Unless an application requests a Word document, submitting a PDF will generally preserve your formatting most reliably.
Put Your Strongest Qualifications First
Recruiters may have limited time to review each resume, so your most compelling qualifications should be easy to locate.
Students with substantial professional experience may want to place a summary of qualifications, key skills and relevant employment near the top. Students with limited work experience can give greater prominence to education, technical skills, academic projects, leadership and volunteer experience.
“There is no universal order for organizing a resume,” Araya said. “If you have more experience, lead with that. If you do not have as much experience, lead with education and qualifications, and include leadership or volunteer experience where it is relevant.”
Projects and certifications can be valuable when they support your candidacy, but they can be omitted when unrelated to the position. Relevance matters more than following a fixed template.
Show the Impact of Your Work
Employers want to understand what you did and what resulted from it. Resume bullet points are most effective when they emphasize contributions and outcomes rather than routine responsibilities.
“Bullet points should not be task-oriented. They should be outcome-driven,” Araya said. “The more you can quantify them, the better. If you do not have a number, use a deliverable. Talk about something you created, produced or contributed to.”
A useful structure is:
Action verb + skill + context + result or deliverable
Instead of writing, “Responsible for improving website usability,” you might say: “Improved the design and usability of an online retail platform, contributing to a 30% increase in monthly online sales.”
If a numerical result is unavailable, name the report, analysis, presentation, spreadsheet, design or other deliverable you completed. Aim for no more than three or four concise bullets for each relevant role.
Research Employers and Prepare an Introduction
Identify several organizations you want to meet, then review their websites, current openings and areas of work. Consider how your education and experience might relate to their needs and prepare one or two thoughtful questions for each employer.
Rather than requesting information that is readily available online, ask what qualities help interns or new employees succeed, how information professionals contribute to the organization or which skills are most valuable for a particular team.
You should also prepare a brief introduction explaining who you are, what you study, the value you can offer and what you are seeking. For example:
“Hello, I’m Jordan, a master’s student in information studies with experience in user research and data visualization. I’m interested in using research to make digital services easier to navigate. I would like to learn more about user experience opportunities within your organization.”
Practice your introduction so that you can deliver it comfortably, but do not treat it as a fixed script. Adjust it for different employers and end with a question to continue the conversation.
Focus on Meaningful Conversations
A smaller number of focused conversations will often be more valuable than a rapid series of introductions. Approach each employer with a clear objective, listen carefully and make brief notes afterward.
Bring several copies of your resume and wear professional or smart business casual attire. Ask recruiters how they prefer students to remain in contact. Downloading your LinkedIn QR code in advance can also make it easier to exchange information.
After the fair, send a brief message to the people with whom you had meaningful conversations. Thank them for their time and refer to something specific you discussed.
Finally, do not allow the number of other applicants to discourage you from pursuing a relevant opportunity. “If you are interested in a position and believe you have relevant qualifications, apply,” Araya said. “Don’t self-reject.”
Prepare with Support From the iSchool
Students can contact Araya for support with resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, networking, interview preparation and job or internship searches.
Undergraduate drop-in hours are Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Flawn Academic Center. Graduate drop-in hours are Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the UT Administration Building. Students may also schedule an appointment or contact Araya at sebastian.araya@austin.utexas.edu.
Event Details
iSchool at the School of Computing Career Fair
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026
Time: 1 to 5 p.m.
Location: Texas Union Shirley Bird Perry Ballroom
Eligibility: All iSchool students, regardless of major or degree level
Students are encouraged to bring copies of their resume and dress professionally. Questions may be directed to Rachel Konakci at rachel.konakci@ischool.utexas.edu.