As the name would imply, a virtual job fair is an online congregation of employers and recruiters where employees may go to become informed about opportunities and, of course, apply. In plain English, it’s a playground for all job seekers out there! At this point though, it’s become plainly obvious that finding a job in a remote setting is a task that demands time, effort, and a lot of patience.
That doesn’t mean you need to make it hard on yourself, however, especially when something this chock full of opportunities (that can be attended from the comfort of your own home!) is within sniffing distance.
Here are some tips on how best to prepare for the next virtual job fair. Enjoy!
Research
Not sure if it’s just me, but I feel like research is one of those suggestions or pieces of advice that just seems to pop up everywhere it can, doesn’t it? And for good reason; it always makes for a wildly different experience when you’ve researched (i.e. prepared) something beforehand, rather than showing up and basing your answers on what is nothing more than flaccid improvisation.
Learning as much as you can about each company will help you in scheduling and planning how you will conduct your virtual meetings; just imagine how much more appeal you’ll have to a recruiter in comparison to someone else who might show up with zero preparation and is evidently uninformed regarding the employers he’s supposedly networking with.
Don’t be afraid to prepare some thoughtful questions on anything you want help with. This can easily get the ball rolling if the conversation starts out as slow or starts to fizzle out when you feel there’s room for further discourse.
Prepare to sell yourself
Now it’s time for your interview(s) part. The previous step will obviously help you a lot with this. You should have already figured out things like your employer’s expectations, the company culture, the job description, etc. All the basic preliminary stuff.
Beyond that, you want to show up prepared with points about yourself (e.g., your strengths, achievements, questions about the role or company to show your interest and that you’ve done your homework, etc.) you know mentioning is going to improve your chances and set you apart from other candidates.
Also, you will want to have a 30-second elevator pitch about yourself prepared. A synopsis of your background, what value you have to offer, and how it makes sense for you to be hired (rather than the next eager candidate) are all good things to highlight in your pitch. It’s also a very good answer to the infamous “So tell me about yourself” question. Here’s how you could lay out your “pitch” or answer, in case you’d like a template. Obviously, there will be some overlap between these points, but they will generally give you a good idea of what you should say to your employer.
Polish your CV
Of course, we can never have a conversation about finding a job – at a job fair, not least of all – without mentioning your CV a couple of times. And for good reason. Virtual or not, a job fair is a place that, for lack of a better word, is convulsing with opportunities; therefore, you would do well to make sure that your CV is clean, clear, concise, and up to date (and that it’s tailored to the roles you’ll be applying for). Remove all the fluff. Correct any grammatical, spelling, and factual (dates, GPAs, certifications, etc.) errors.
Read: The Ultimate Guide to Proofreading Your CV
Think of it this way: a CV is like a glimpse into your professional history, and inherent in that glimpse is the ability to surmise your potential. So, you always want to make the best out of it, and thereby provide the best possible experience in as little as six to seven seconds (the time employers spend looking at a CV, on average).
Job fairs are your best bet at becoming employed
Don’t use that as an excuse to self-attack if you don’t accomplish anything, however. It’s trite but true: success is only a stone’s throw away from failure – so don’t venture into the chasm of despair because you didn’t meet the expectations of a blog post on the internet. Just put one foot in front of the other, and trust that you will reach your destination. Good luck!
Want more help in finding the perfect job for 2022? Feel free to browse our reservoir of practical tips, tricks, and advice to help advance your career to the next level.
