Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom,” and Professor Eric Michel’s MGMT 395 class decided to take this time-trusted advice.
In December, Michel developed an experiential exercise for his students to increase their self-awareness as they approach graduation and the next phase of life post-NIU.
Billed as a “Reverse Job Fair,” MGMT students created poster presentations about themselves that they presented to those who perused their tables, in the same vein as an old-school science fair. Staff members and faculty from across the university attended the event, stopping by students’ tables and finding out more about each student.
“This assignment was designed to provide a framework to help students maximize their self-awareness by integrating all MGMT 395 course content, like self-assessments, course readings, mock interviews, in-class exercises and best-self interviews with mentors, family members and friends,” Michel said. “The final product is a synthesized portrait of their career-related competencies, which hopefully helped students come to a better understanding of their unique talents and how those talents impact their ability to successfully engage employers on the job market.”
Human resources management student Stephanie Arriaga participated in the project. She and her classmates took turns presenting and engaging with one another, offering an opportunity to ask questions and gain deeper insights into one another’s self-assessments.
“We delivered a presentation on our ‘Best Self,’ in which we had the opportunity to reflect on and discuss our talents, strengths and values, all of which were assessed using the Holland and O*NET frameworks in class,” she said. “As part of the personal development plan, we also defined our ideal job roles, employers and work environments. Overall, the experience was highly valuable, with my favorite part being the opportunity to personally engage with the staff at NIU.”
“Presenting to the faculty and staff at the reverse job fair felt surprisingly comfortable,” said human resource management major Joseph Heckelsmiller, who participated in the project. “Oftentimes, career fairs can be intimidating to most, but the setting and nature of the fair minimized the stressful aspect of the presentation portion and allowed me to focus on developing my professional communication and confidence.”
Heckelsmiller noted that it was reassuring to share his experiences in a supportive environment, but it still challenged him to think about his own best traits.
“The experience felt like the perfect balance of familiarity and growth, which helped me build the skills I’ll need to connect with employers during my career search and beyond,” he said.
The experience allowed human resource management student Jessica Olson to learn how vital self-reflection is in career development.
“The process of creating the presentation pushed me to take a step back and thoughtfully evaluate my journey, skills and aspirations. It wasn’t just about presenting information — it was about uncovering deeper insights into who I am, what I stand for and how those elements shape my career trajectory,” she said. “I identified patterns in my experiences and accomplishments, which helped me recognize my core strengths and areas for growth. Additionally, defining what I seek in an employer and a job required me to reflect on my values, work preferences and long-term goals.”
