This event is for RCC sponsors only
Host select students at your NYC offices, stores, or other experiences for a behind-the-scenes look at your company. Students will have the opportunity to meet your team, explore career paths, and learn more about opportunities within your organization.
Descriptions and application links will be posted on the NRF Foundation website the first week of November. The NRF Foundation recommends hosting Tour & Talks in the afternoon, as most students arrive Thursday morning. Retailers are responsible for all student communications, including selection notifications, tour details, reminders, and acceptance status updates for all students who apply.
The following information needs to be submitted via this form:
Name
Date & Time
Location
Description
Audience (i.e. open to all, just juniors, just seniors, etc.)
Application Link
Application Deadline
Timeline of when students will receive confirmation of attendance
Max Capacity
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Date: Friday Jan. 9 | 9:15 AM - 5:05 PM
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square - Broadway Ballroom 6th Floor
Date: Friday Jan. 8 | 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square - Westside Ballroom 5th Floor
This event is for RCC sponsors only
Go deeper with our 300 technology and supply chain students through a smaller breakout session featuring speaking and networking opportunities. Participating brands will receive event updates and communications directly from Ira Golthi on the NRF Foundation team.
High-top tables will be provided at the back of the room for brands to connect with students during networking blocks, which should be approached as a mini career fair. Each high-top table is 42 inches tall and 30 inches in diameter. Brands are encouraged to bring branded materials such as signage, tablecloths, giveaways, and other display items.
We recommend recruiting teams be at their tables by 12:00 p.m. during the student lunch break. Breakout sessions begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by student networking from 2:30 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. The breakout concludes at 4:00 p.m., and all brands must clear their table setups by 5:00 p.m.
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Date: Friday Jan. 8 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square – 9th Floor Terrace
Join us and fellow recruiters at the NRF Foundation Retail Recruiting Professionals Reception presented by Workday. Drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Please indicate in the retailer registration platform who will be attending from your company.
See photos from the 2026 Retail Recruiter Networking Reception
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Date: Saturday Jan. 9 | 9:30 AM - 5:05 PM
Date: Saturday, Jan. 10 | 8:30AM – 11:00AM
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square, Broadway Ballroom 6th Floor
On site POC: Samantha LaManna (703-964-6540)
The NRF Foundation, the non-profit arm of the National Retail Federation, is committed to connecting people to life-changing careers in retail. One of our most impactful offerings is NRF NXT (formerly known as the NRF Foundation Student Program) – designed to help students accelerate their careers by connecting them with retail professionals, industry insights, and career opportunities.
More than 1,400 students, educators, and career services professionals from universities across the country attend NRF NXT each year to learn about career opportunities in retail, develop in-demand skills, and gain insights from industry leaders. For retailers, NRX NXT provides a unique opportunity to engage with the next generation of talent, strengthen employer brand awareness, and connect with candidates who are actively exploring careers in the industry.
Download this PDF invitation to share with senior leaders at your company when inviting them to participate as Executive Mentor Experience mentors.
Mentors should arrive at the Marriott Marquis no later than 8:15 AM to check in at the registration desk outside the Broadway Ballroom. The Foundation team will have all mentor badges at the check in table outside the ballroom, so your mentors do not need to go to the registration counters to pick up their badges.
We have hired a professional facilitator, Matt Meuleners of FOCUS Training, who has extensive experience working with students and facilitating discussions like this. Matt will guide everyone through the experience, prompting the roundtable questions between each mentor rotation. Annalea and the facilitator will speak with the mentors briefly as well before they enter the ballroom.
We will have six questions, and each question round will last approximately 15 minutes. Mentors will be given a card that details the tables they will visit. Students will remain at their same tables, and mentors will rotate to 6 different tables. Each question is designed to kick off the conversation. Mentors should make sure they leave time for students to ask questions and share their insights as well. Questions will be shared with mentors ahead of time via email. Mentors are encouraged to bring business cards if they are comfortable sharing their contact information with the students they meet. The students will also have the opportunity to write thank you notes to the mentors they meet, which we will collect and send to the mentors after the event takes place.
Roundtable questions will be provided at a later date.
Date: Saturday, Jan. 9 | 8:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square – Astor Ballroom 7th floor
Educators will gather Saturday morning for a meeting focused on their interests and priorities in helping students explore career options. The meeting will begin with a networking breakfast for retail talent professionals and educators from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Please indicate in the retailer registration platform who from your company will attend.
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Date: Saturday, Jan. 9 | 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square, Westside Ballroom, 5th floor
Setup Time: Doors will be open starting at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday
Booth Ready Time: There will be an onsite photographer taking photos of all career fair booths starting at 11:00 a.m. Please ensure your booth is photo ready by then.
Student Schedule: Juniors & seniors first access: 11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
All students: 1:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
Each career fair space will include one 6' x 2' table and two chairs. A career fair map with each retailer’s assigned location will be shared in December. A retailer-only break room will be available within the Westside Ballroom, with light snacks and water provided.
We suggest bringing the following to enhance your area:
Pop-up signage or roll-up banners (appropriate for a table-top display and backdrops)
Brochures or other collateral about your college hiring programs (internships, entry-level job openings)
Branded tablecloth (if you have something to go over the table)
Branded giveaways for students – we will be giving each student a bag when they enter the career fair that they can use to pick up swag from each company. Please bring as much swag as you would like to that students can take with them!
If you need electrical for your career fair area, you have the option to let us know via this form sent to collect your deliverables ahead of the event.
Date: Saturday Jan. 10 | 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Location: Marriott Marquis Times Square, Westside Ballroom (5th floor)
On site POC: Annalea Soudry-Maurer (561-602-0082)
This event is for RCC and Gold sponsors only.
Recruiters – plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your first scheduled interview.
Get Hired presents the opportunity for you to hold on site interviews with students that you met at the Career Fair on Saturday. RCCs can have up to 6 interview tables and Gold sponsors can have up to 4 tables.
Tables will be 6x2 with two chairs on one side and one chair on the other and will be spread out across the divided rooms that make up the Westside Ballroom on the 5th floor. We will assign your company’s tables together in the same room and inform you of the specific section you are in prior to the event.
Your team is responsible for setting the interview schedule and sending it to Annalea via email before 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. Your team is also responsible for contacting the students and inviting them to interview with you, including the specific time and location. The NRF Foundation team will check students in, and your team members are responsible for greeting them and taking them to your table when it is their assigned interview time.
