Discover Proven Job Fair Tips and Strategies to Get Hired - Your Preparation, Your Dress, Your Documents, Your Presentation and Follow Up after Job Fair!

Abstract:
A job fair can be a convenient one-stop place to meet with recruiters and land a job. Many well-known companies and employers participate in a job fair, making it a great place to look for an entry-level career opportunity. Understanding how these fairs work can help you make a good impression at a career fair.

A job fair is an event where multiple recruiters, hiring managers and employers can meet with potential employees in one convenient, neutral venue, such as a school or college. These fairs are usually managed by third-party recruitment consultants.

Keywords
Job Fair, Career, Placement, Resume, Employers, Employees 
Learning Outcomes 
After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following
1. What's exactly a job fair?
2. What's the objectives of job fair?
3. How a job fair organised?
4. What are the prerequisites of a job fair?
5. What's the types of job fair?
6. How to participate in job fair?
7. What activities are required to grab a job in a job fair.
8. How to prepare yourself for attending a job fair?
9. What's exactly to do on the day of job fair?
10. How to follow up with the employers as a job seekers?
11. What's the advantages of job fair?
12. What's the disadvantages of job fair?
13. How job fair and career fair differ?
14. Tips for Job fair.
15. Conclusions
16. FAQs


1. What's exactly a job fair?
job fair, also commonly referred to as a job expo or career fair or career expo, is an event in which employers, recruiters, and schools give information to potential employees. Job seekers attend job fairs to speak face-to-face with potential employers, fill out résumés, and ask questions about the various positions available. 

Job fairs are conducted in every part of the world by group of organizations to find right candidate for their organization.

They are conducted in order to hire either job seekers bulk or sometimes to search for few candidates whose positions are empty for a longer time. Its a general notion that, job fairs are for small level jobs.

2. What's the objectives of job fair?

The objectives of job fair are the following but not limited to:
1. To take guidance, consultancy, and exploration of multiple career options for students. 
2. To enable direct interactions, getting brochures, interaction with other students, and many others. 
3. To explore a career opportunities in a suitable organisation
4. To establish network with Job providers 
5. To connect oneself and secure a position
6. To Assess your situation of job market
7. To Find out what employers do, what they look for, what they offer, and what their culture is.
8. To prioritize the goals and interests that matches with industry requirements and prepare oneself with relevant skills. 
9. To Evaluate performance through face to face interaction and interview.

3. How a job fair is organised?
Organizing a successful job fair requires attention to detail, creativity and strategic planning. A job fair is an opportunity for prospective employers to find a capable workforce. At the same time, job seekers are able to network with hiring officials. Since a job fair is a large event with a variety of moving parts, it is important to have a strong planning group to provide support. You will also need a generous supply of volunteers for the day of the fair to assist with setup, staff registration and to direct participants. If you have a dedicated team to assist, you can make a successful job fair happen in as little as three months.

Logistics

The first step in organizing a successful job fair is to select a date and location. Be sure to plan the fair at a time that minimizes conflict with other events and holidays. Daytime is best for employers, but be sure job seekers – your intended audience – will be able to attend, too. Make sure to:

  •  Reserve a space that can accommodate your estimated audience.
  •  Reserve tables and chairs for employers, hospitality rooms and registration.

Recruit Employers

If this is your first job fair, recruiting employers may seem like a daunting task.  A clear theme or focus for the fair will guide employer recruitment. For example, an engineering fair would target engineering firms. If you are organizing a general job fair, contact human resource directors and hiring managers to promote your event. Don’t be afraid to leverage connections that you or your organization have with local businesses. It isn’t uncommon to charge employers to have a booth at a job fair. This may be the primary way to recoup your costs. Determine if the fee includes lunch, a table and chairs, and electrical power. These tasks will make recruiting employers go smoothly:

  •  Make a list of prospective employers.
  •  Create a marketing flyer or e-solicitation targeting employer involvement.
  •  Follow up with employers to confirm their attendance.

Recruiting Attendees

In addition to employers, a successful job fair requires job seekers. If you have a built-in audience at a school or in a community organization, recruiting won’t be difficult. If not, advertising is key. Social media, email lists, public service announcements and flyers are all effective marketing options. Consider offering career preparation workshops with topics like Dress for Success, Creating an Elevator Pitch and Resume Writing, which prepare job seekers for the job fair process. They also serve as creative advertising for the fair itself, in addition to:

  • Spreading out marketing events across different time periods to continually promote the fair.
  • Targeting special populations, such as graduating seniors.
4. What are the prerequisites of a job fair?
Here are a few steps to help you prepare for a job fair:
  • Pre-register for the job fair.
  • Keep reasonable expectations.
  • Understand what recruiters or employers are looking for.
  • Research each prospective employer.
  • Prepare multiple copies of your resume.
  • Choose the best resume format.
  • Consider bringing your portfolio.

5. What's the types of job fair?

Here is an overview of the different kinds of job fairs and who will benefit most:

COLLEGE CAREER FAIRS

These job fairs are organized by colleges mainly for their students and alumni, but sometimes they are open to the general public as well. Colleges put on general job fairs, which include a wide selection of employers and professions. Before you go and attend a general job fair, find out which employers will be present and if they are interesting to you! In addition to the general job fairs, colleges often organize fairs specific to certain professions: e.g. health care careers, engineering, media, or skilled trades. These are preferable to the general fairs since you know each employer present has an interest in hiring candidates from your field.

In general the employers present at college career fairs are mainly interested in entry-level and recent graduate candidates. Though alumni are usually invited as well, there will be fewer opportunities for mid-career candidates. However, talking to a live human recruiter or hiring manager is always preferable to just applying online. So the chance to talk to hiring managers directly, learn information about the company and making connections might make it worthwhile for mid-career professionals to attend.

GENERAL PUBLIC JOB FAIRS

These are often organized by local non-profit organizations, media outlets or workforce centers. They are unfocused and represent a wide variety of employers and fields. Often the majority of employers present at these general fairs are from companies or fields with high turnover jobs who need new employees frequently. These occupations are often found at the lower paying level of the world of work. If you need a job fast and are not picky, these job fairs might work for you. If you are an experienced professional, do your research and find out beforehand which employers will be present to see if it is worth your while to attend.

A drawback that college and general job fairs have in common is that some of the companies present are not really actively hiring. Sometimes they attend more for the public relations value. They want to be seen as thriving companies that are attractive to potential employees. Yes, they will still take your resume at the job fair but it will not lead to anything.

SINGLE EMPLOYER JOB FAIRS

These are the best job fairs. As the name suggests, this is a job fair for/with just one employer who is normally looking to fill a number of different positions. These are the best job fairs because the companies conducting them are in need and actively looking for people. They are usually very organized and ready to interview and process applicants on the spot. This means that there is very little time between the job fair and starting a new position. Single employer job fairs are conducted by companies in all fields, from high tech and IT, to warehouse, healthcare and hospitality.

6. How to participate in job fair?
The process of participation in job fair is simple and one must follow the following points, if the job fair is not open for all without registration 
1. Determine your eligibility 
2. Do your registration for the job fair.
3. Pay the requisite fee, if applicable
4. Obtain a receipt or copy of approval for allowing you to attend
5. Research Survey  about employers / companies/ Recruiting agencies formalities
6. Prepare yourself
7. Develop desired documents
8. Arrange your portfolio
9. Know the venue in advance
10. Gather information about logistics and transport facilities available.
11. Discover times when it is starting and ending.
12. Any other details as needed 

7. What activities are required to grab a job in a job fair.

Be Prepared 

If you’re going to a job fair with a goal to get hired, you’re going to want to come prepared. The best ways to stand out while attending a career fair include:

  • A superb resume (bring several copies). After carefully arranging your experience and accomplishments into a resume, make sure to have plenty of copies to pass out to recruiters.
  • Professional appearance. Take time to get a haircut, shave, and prepare to look your best. 
  • A well-rehearsed elevator pitch. It may seem difficult to compress your accomplishments into a 30-second pitch but with a little work it can be done easily. 
  • Knowledge of businesses and companies at the career fair. The key to making an impression while chatting with recruiters is to already know what the company is and what they do.
  • Ask the right questions. Researching the companies can help you prepare questions for recruiters. Other crucial questions to ask involve follow-up and scheduling interviews - a key to getting hired!

8. How to prepare yourself for attending a job fair?

Before the fair:
  • Update your resume and LinkedIn: You may not be sharing your resume or LinkedIn,  but it’s good to make sure they’re up to date, just in case! The practice of updating your resume and LinkedIn can help you reflect on your professional career.
  • Be prepared to talk about yourself: Consider your career goals and the kinds of work you’d be interested in. How you would summarize your education, skills and projects that you’ve been working on?
  • Do your research: Check out which employers/organizations will be attending. This way, you can create a shortlist of ones you’re most interested in speaking to, and do a little research on them so you can ask in-depth questions
  • Set goals for your experience: Have some rough goals for what a “successful” career fair day might look like. 
  • Do you want to have more clarity about your career plan? 
  • Do you want to have a shortlist of employers to begin applying to? 
  • Do you want to learn what education you need to get the job?
9. What's exactly to do on the day of job fair?

On the day of the fair:
  • Dress professionally: While you don’t need to dress formally, it helps to appear professional when speaking with recruiters. Another element of professionalism is to have your job search documents ready, in case an employer requests them. Have a copy of your resume/CV or links to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile.
  • Be curious: Have an open mind when exploring the fair. Try and approach employers outside your ideal industry; you might find fitting opportunities with them!
  • Create quality connections: Be genuine when speaking with recruiters and think of questions other than, “are you hiring?” If you feel you’ve connected with a peer or employer,  ask them how you can follow up after the fair.
  • Network with everyone: Recruiters are the obvious option for networking, but don’t forget to talk to Career Services staff and your fellow students — you could learn valuable information from them!
10. How to follow up with the employers as a job seekers?

After the fair:
  • Reflect: Evaluate your experience based on the goals you set before the fair. How did you feel about the fair? Did you find any employers you’d want to look into? Are there any next steps to take?
  • Follow up with your connections: If you connected with a recruiter or employer, you could send a note by email or LinkedIn to keep the conversation going. You can also use social media to engage with employers or your network afterwards.
  • Take action: Keep the momentum going on.
11. What's the advantages of job fair?
Advantages of Job Fair:
1. Access to meet multiple employers at a time:
In any kind of job fair, there is always a good chance of meeting many potential employers at a single place.

The job seekers get an opportunity to interact with many employees of different organizations. They get a chance to meet in person and learn the work culture before they get a job.

Socializing with the employers is not as easy when you enter the market for a job search. Hence, accessibility of meeting multiple employers at a single place is benefit for both the organization as well as job seekers.

2. Immediate response for the job application:
When you apply for a job outside through a career website or through a job board, it takes some time to know the result.

In case of job fairs, the job seekers resume is quickly analyzed and there is a immediate output for the job search. And there is a direct reply for your job application and no chances of wasting time.

3. Many options are confidence boosters:
It is natural to lose confidence, when the job seeker misses out in interview. In case of job fair, as there are too many options on the floor it encourages them to move and search from other options available and not loose confidence.

This is huge advantage in job fairs compared to attending directly in the organization. And comparatively, it is a plus for the employers as there are chances of analyzing many fresh candidates and not losing hope with one or two worst performances.

4. No room for partiality:
Job fair is a very common meet up for job search for the job seekers. Hence there is no room for partiality as well as personal preference for the employers.

5. Cost effective approach to the organization as well as employees:
In the process of hiring new employees, it is always expensive for the organizations as they have to spend huge money on over all hiring process right from hospitality to arranging interview setup.

In case of job fair, it is very economic as the organization does not spend much other than paying a fee amount to the third party. 

6. Indirect marketing for the brand:
Mostly, in a job fair as there is huge crowd circulating it is a indirect marketing for the organization among the job seekers.

It is natural when people repetitively see the same brand it tends to register and create a impression.

7. Lot of effort and its a time saver:
Job fairs are generally conducted for a day or more than that. In that case, recruiters get more time to choose the candidates.

12. What's the disadvantages of job fair?
Disadvantages of Job Fair:
Even though there are many advantages of job fair, there are few downsides which make job seekers think twice about attending job fairs and also some organization have their own negatives of job fair.

1. Competition is higher:
Mostly in any kind of job fair, there might be thousands of job seekers present in the occasion.

Getting filtered out of huge crowd seems to be difficult. And hence, getting a job in job fair is comparatively competitive and challenging than visiting directly the organization.

2. Huge crowd tends to create stress:
Job fairs are always crowded and messy. Sometimes, because of the huge crowd job seekers tend to get nervous and stressed in facing interviewers.

And there are huge chances of missing right employers in the crowd. So, job fair is always not a good option for most of the job seekers.

3. Chances of getting missed out from right employers:
There might be multiple companies present in various stalls in a job fair.

Due to the heavy crowd and noise pollution, job seekers might tend to miss out right employers in the crowd. This is one of the note worthy disadvantage of attending job fairs.

4. Organization hirer randomly to show the count:
In general, all job fairs are conducted with the assistance of third parties. In order to show them a count, organizations tend to hire randomly because of the pressure of the third party consultants.

5. Very tiring and sometimes emotionally draining:
Attending interviews the whole day continuously and roaming many stalls with the resume might be very tiring and emotionally draining.

6. No proper structure for the interview:
Job fairs does not have a age limit or do not happen for particular educational qualification. Most of the time organizations do not plan a particular interview process which leaves the job seekers to a confusion mode.

7. Some organizations tend to use as only brand strategy:
In many job fairs, few organizations participate only for brand establishments. They randomly give pamphlets, show presentations about the various job opportunities which is indirectly marketing the organization.

8. Few job seekers tend to come for a time pass:
Few job seekers, who already have jobs in hand attend job fairs to look out for second best option. This sometimes is waste of time as well makes few miss the real opportunity by getting selected.

13. How job fair and career fair differ?

Job Fair Vs Career Fair

We often hear Lumberjacks refer to career and job fairs interchangeably when in reality, there is a big difference between the two! Knowing the differences between these fairs is essential as you try to appropriately prepare for each kind of event.

Job Fair

Typically, at a job fair you can expect to leave with some strong job leads, or perhaps even an offer!  The companies at a job fair typically have open positions that they are planning to fill from the attendees that they interact with. The purpose of a job fair is to find a job (sounds obvious, I know, but these are the facts!). For a student, a job fair will be filled with employers on and off campus that are hiring part time positions and internships.

Career Fair

A career fair, which may include Premedical Professions, Pre-Law, and other graduate opportunities, is not as exclusively centered on finding a job or filling a particular position. Going into a career fair with the expectation that you will leave with a job offer will likely set you up for disappointment. However, career fairs provide many great opportunities including a chance to practice your networking skills when meeting new employers or checking out graduate school possibilities.  Coming to the fair prepared with a strong elevator speech- a 15-30 second overview of your qualifications and interests- enables you to make meaningful connections with hiring professionals.  


14. Tips for Job fair.

Five Things to Take to a Career Fair

1. Copies of your resume. Be sure it represents your knowledge, skills, and abilities effectively. It needs to look professional, easy to read format on plain white or cream paper, and be free of typos. If you are looking at several career options, you may want to have two or more targeted resumes with different career objectives.

2. A smile, a strong handshake, and a positive attitude. First impressions are important. Approach an employer, smile, and offer your hand when you introduce yourself.

3. A 30-second sales pitch. Hand the recruiter a copy of your resume and be prepared to expand on it quickly. Share basic information about yourself and your career interests 

4. Information about the organizations which will be attending. Gather information as you would for a job interview. To maximize the brief time you have with each employer, you need to know how your skills and interests match their needs. 

5. Energy! Career fairs require you to be on your feet moving from table to table for an hour or so. Each time you meet someone, be at your best, as refreshed as possible!

Five Things to Take Away From a Career Fair

1. Business cards from the recruiters you have met. Use the cards to write follow-up notes to those organizations in which you are most interested.

2. Notes about contacts you made. Take paper and pen with you to write down important details about particular organizations, including names of people who may not have had business cards. Take a few minutes after you leave each table to jot down these notes!

3. Information about organizations you have contacted. Most recruiters will have information for you to pick up, including company brochures, position descriptions, and other data. You won’t have time to deal with these at the fair!

4. A better sense of your career options. If you have used the event correctly, you will have made contact with several organizations that hire people with your skills and interests. In thinking about their needs and your background, evaluate whether each company might be a match for you.

5. Self-confidence in interacting with employer representatives. A career fair gives you the opportunity to practice your interview skills in a less formidable environment than a formal interview. Use this experience to practice talking about what you have done, what you know, and what your interests are.

Five Things Not to Do at a Career Fair

1. Don’t cruise the booths with a group of friends. Interact with the recruiters on your own. Make your own positive impression!

2. Don’t carry your backpack, large purse, or other paraphernalia with you. Carry your resume in a professional-looking portfolio or small briefcase works well. It will keep your resume neat and handy, and gives you a place to file business cards of recruiters that you meet. Usually you can stow your coat, backpack, or other gear in a coatroom.

3. Don’t come dressed for rugby practice or any other extremely casual activity. A career fair is a professional activity — perhaps your first contact with a future employer.

4. Don’t wing it with employers. Do your homework! Research the companies just as you would for an interview. You’ll be able to focus on why you want to work for the organization and what you can do for them.

5. Don’t come during the last half hour of the event. Many employers travel a long distance to attend the fair and may need to leave early. If you come late, you may miss the organizations you wanted to contact.

How to Get the Most Out of the Career Fair

First-Year and Junior students:

This career fair will give you the chance to explore different career opportunities, ask lots of questions and find out about possible internships. You will also be able to begin networking, which will be important in helping you reach your career goals.

Seniors and Graduate Students:

This is your chance to network, make contacts, and find out about full-time career opportunities. Bring plenty of resumes!

Step-By-Step Suggestions for ALL Students:

  • Check in at the Career Center’s registration table and pick up handouts describing who the employer participants are and where their tables are located.
  • Ask a Career Center staff member or a student Career Fair assistant (student workers from the Center for Student Development) for help in how to approach the employer participants and what questions might be appropriate to ask. If you’d like, they can even introduce you to particular employers to help you get started.
  • Budget your time carefully. Determine which companies or organizations interest you. It may be a good idea to take a quick walk around to find out where the companies are located, and to take a few minutes to jot down some questions you may want to ask the representative(s). Being well prepared will help you in case you become nervous and forget what you intended to say.
  • As you approach the representatives, greet them with a firm handshake and introduce yourself. You may want to tell them a little bit about yourself that will help you to build rapport and ease you into the questions you have prepared. Be sure to speak clearly when asking questions.
  • Take copies of your resume, either to distribute when appropriate OR to show employers to get their feedback and advice for ways to improve it.
  • Be sure to thank the representative(s) for taking the time to speak with you.
  • Pick up business cards and any pamphlets the organizations have on display. These materials will give you additional information about the organizations.
  • Feel welcome to use the list of sample questions for ideas on what to ask about, but try to add some questions of your own. Above all, enjoy yourself and learn as much as you can!
15. Conclusions
Organizations basically try to attend job fair to meet multiple candidates in one place or they have a convenience of hiring multiple candidates from the huge crowd. Sometimes, first level interviews for job fairs are conducted priorly.

But mostly, job fairs are conducted with no expectations nor any prior commitments to the job seekers. In general, job fairs are considered as a crowded place with good competition. But the reality is right candidates are the basic need in job fairs.

Getting a job is not as easy as we think. It requires more hard work and patience to find the entry.

16. FAQs

Sample Questions to Ask Representatives at the Job Fair

I am a _____ major; what careers exist within your organization for someone with my background?

How would you describe your work environment?

What are the major rewards of your job/working for your organization? 

Are there specific courses you took during your college career that you would consider necessary for someone entering your line of work, or are there courses you would recommend to me?

What qualities and skills do you look for when hiring new employees?

Are there any professional groups I, as a student, can join which would be beneficial to me?

Do you know other people in this field who might be willing to talk with me about their careers?

Can you suggest ways I might get experience to make me more competitive in the job market when I graduate?

Are employees required to move and/or relocate to advance within this organization?

What is the size of your organization?

What are the benefits and limitations of working in a (small, mid-sized, large) organization like yours?

How do you see your organization changing in the next five years?

Is there room for career growth within your company or organization?

Would you be willing to look over my resume and give me a critique?

Are there positions currently open within your company?

What tips can you give me on how to have successful job interviews?












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