It doesn’t matter if it’s in person or virtual, seeking your first or sixth job; job fairs are an intelligent way of marketing yourself to potential employers. However, they need vital preparation to help take your career to the next level.
Forget reviewing ads or spending hours sending resumes and cover letters. Job fairs allow you to connect directly with hiring managers from various firms, learning about their policies and mission statements as they learn about you. Therefore, knowing how to prepare for job fairs means you’ll attract your potential employer’s attention and eventually find your next career role.
With that, here are some essential tips to help you make the most out of job fairs in 2022.
But first…
What’s a Job Fair?
A job fair is an event that allows employers and potential employees to connect in a physical or online space. Potential employers come with the expectation of filling the open positions at their companies. Job fairs are also an opportunity for firms to promote their brand to numerous people and network with other employers.
You can find job fairs at:
National Career Fairs – the organization specializes in in-person job fairs. These are excellent for individuals looking to broaden their candidate pool outside your locality.
State Employment Agencies – sometimes, state employment agencies sponsor job fairs. To find them, go to your state government’s website and check for the events page
Local Educational Institutions – campuses host career and job fairs, but it’s vital to be aware of the event local universities are putting on.
Before the Job Fair
If you want to get the most out of a job fair, you need to prepare avidly. Here are some essential tips:
- Pre-register
You can do this by submitting your CV and other information just in case potential employers review your details before the event.
- Research the Attending Companies
Having a detailed background on the companies means you’ll ask tailored questions about the job and the firm. It also captures the firm representatives since it shows a genuine interest in them.
- Figure Out Who You Want to Meet
Creating a priority list of potential employers means you won’t have to waste time wandering around and figuring out who you need to spark a conversation with. If you can also get a layout of the fair earlier on, you can form a plan of attack to visit each recruiter in order of interest.
Once you’ve created your priority list, try to visit the firms in that order. If all goes according to plan, you’ll have adequate time to talk with the company representative from the organization you’d like to join. Moreover, if time runs short, you’ll at least have made yourself known to you’re the top three or even five firms you’d love to work with.
- Prepare Your CV
Just as you’d go on a vacation with extra clothes and money, bring more than you need to a job fair since some firm might want more than one copy. If you have numerous job goals, ensure you bring enough versions of each CV, and, of course, be sure your CV is free of errors and perfectly written.
- Practice Your Elevator Pitch
Job fairs involve a mini-interview. Therefore, you need to create a killer pitch. That 30 to 60-second soundbite will help explain who you are, your skillsets, and your career objectives are.
- Prepare for Potential Interviews
Apart from creating and preparing a job-winning pitch, you also need to review potential interview questions and prepare your answers beforehand. That will ensure you present yourself professionally and reduce interview-related anxieties.
During the Job Fair
On the dee-day, be sure to arrive as early as possible, dress smartly, and then follow these simple tips:
- Exude Confidence and Enthusiasm
Be confident, pleasant, and be prepared to say something as you approach each booth. Introduce yourself with a smile, of course, make eye contact, and offer a brief yet firm handshake.
More often than not, the hiring manager will take the lead and ask a question, but you need to have your killer pitch ready – the 30 to 60-second speech of what you need the organization to know about you.
To ensure you use your time wisely, be sure to relay your interest in the company and showcase your relevant skills. However, make sure you speak slowly and with enthusiasm. Job seekers tend to babble, which comes off as nervous or rushed.
- Jot Down Notes If Necessary
It would be best if you wrote something down, especially when inquiring about the next steps and the probability of talking to other managers. Write down the names and telephone numbers of other personnel in the firm whom you can contact later.
- Request a Business Card
That’ll offer you all the information you need to get in touch with the representative and send a thank you note for the time they spent with you. Trust us. Many applicants have landed a job because of a ‘thank you.’
- Network Till You Can’t Do It No More
Apart from interacting with the company representatives, ensure you converse with other job seekers and share information regarding everything from the firms to job leads. Make sure you also get their contact details for further inquiries and information sharing. Additionally, be sure to approach any professional firms at the firm and get information regarding upcoming networking opportunities.
After the Job Fair
After making preparations and attending the fair, there are some things you need to do later on. These include:
- Following Up
Twenty-four hours after the job fair, send a thank you note to everyone you interacted with, whether you’re interested in the organization or not. Who knows – maybe the next time you go to another job fair, the mean hiring manager at that digital marketing firm could be working for Accenture Interactive.
If you think the hiring manager will appreciate a handwritten note, send one, but make sure to send emails to everyone. And, please don’t copy and paste. You’re allowed to send short messages, but you need to personalize them to every firm and recruiter.
- Take Action
For the firms you’re interested in, make sure to follow the hiring manager’s guidelines on what you need to do when applying for a position. If you are required to send your resume online, ensure you do so 24 to 48 hours after the event so that you’re still fresh in the firm’s mind.
And, if there’s no vacancy right now, be sure to ask the recruiter if you can go for an informational interview. Having more face time with the organization is essential.
