Information Sessions at UCLA – For Recruiters

Dedicated information sessions can be high-ROI elements of any strategic university recruitment plan – Employer Information Sessions are dedicated events where organizations directly engage with students to share insights about their company, industry, and available career opportunities. 

These sessions typically involve presentations, tips for standing out during the application process, Q&A sessions, and opportunities for students and recruiters to connect directly.

There are many elements to consider when planning a successful information sessions. Here are a few recommendations from the Industry Relations Team:

• Date in relation to the academic quarter
  • Things move quickly in the quarter system! We recommend scheduling all info sessions during the first four weeks of each quarter to maximize student attendance ahead of midterm exam season. See the UCLA Academic Calendar here.
    
    
• Day of the week
  • We find that sessions booked on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays garner the most consistent student attendance
    
    
• Timing your session to maximize student attendance
  • We recommend lunchtime sessions (12:00 – 1:00 ) and evening sessions ( 5:30 – 6:30 or 7:30 – 8:30 ) to maximize student attendance. Start times within 30 minutes of the aforementioned time slots are typically successful as well.
    
    * Timing preferences can vary for graduate info sessions – see our recommendations below
    
    
• Coordinating food deliveries
  • UCLA is located on an open metropolitan campus, so food deliveries to the career center without proper instructions can easily be lost. Deliveries, especially though delivery services like GrubHub and DoorDash should be directed to UCLA Parking Structure 8 Visitor Parking then directed to the elevators to reach floors 2 or 3 depending on the location of your session. Reach out to the UCLA events team or join our employer drop-in hours on Wednesdays for more details.

In-person information sessions are booked on a first come, first served basis, with priority given to UCLA Employer Partners.

We highly recommend submitting an event request on Handshake, even if you’re not 100% sure about the timing of your session. Our events team will reach out once your request is submitted with recommendations for timing your session, or to settle another date if your preferred date is booked.

Room rental fees apply and are based on room capacity. For details and pricing, simply create an event in Handshake, and select UCLA Career Center as the hosting center.

All paid information sessions come with a dedicated promotional email for up to 5,000 Bruins in your target demographic. Request your event in Handshake today for more details!

Virtual information sessions at UCLA are completely free to request. However, due to the volume of yearly requests, virtual information session approvals are not guaranteed. 

*If you would like guaranteed approval for your virtual information session and a dedicated promotional email for up to 5,000 Bruins in your target demographic, you may consider purchasing a promotional package for your virtual event. Follow the directions above for requesting an in-person information session in Handshake for details. 

Otherwise, you can expect your session to be considered for free approval up to one week prior to your event. 

We are proud to serve UCLA Graduate Students & Postdocs alongside our dedicated Graduate Career Services Team!

We highly recommend that employers plan stand-alone info sessions specifically for graduate students or postdocs rather than combined sessions with undergrads to maximize grad and postdoc attendance.

Our team welcomes your creative ideas for sessions that engage grad students and postdocs @ UCLA. To strategize with our team regarding your grad and postdoc facing info session, reach out to Dr. Gaby Barrios at gbarrios@career.ucla.edu

UCLA hosts upward of 30 information sessions each quarter–here are a few tips you can use to stand out among the crowd:

• Keyword optimize your event title
  Maximize the eyes on your event by making it easy for students to search by their interests. Keeping in mind that students will be in different places of career exploration, be sure to use recognizable language in the title.
  
  For example: Consulting Internships with ABC Corp., Break Into Finance with Company ABC.
  
  
• Include skills-based takeaways
  UCLA students are high-achieving, eager to learn, and manage dynamic and busy schedules. We find that when organizations include skills that students can learn alongside company information, student interest and attendance peaks.
  
  For example: Case Preparation with ABC Corp., Interview Skills & Information Session with ABC Corp. 
  
  
• Include active practitioners & UCLA Alumni
  UCLA students love to engage with the people doing the work. Whether you’re inviting former interns, current employees, or UCLA Alumni, students love the opportunity to gain direct insights from those who are doing the work they’re most interested in.
  
  
• Use compelling titles and descriptions
  Stand out among the scroll! Use your marketing hat to create a title and description that will pull applicants in–what can students get out of the session? Will they meet with alumni or practitioners? Will there be food? A small call to action can go a long way!