How to make job fairs work for you

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Job hunting on the go!

Posted by Rob on April 15, 2013

You might find yourself asking the question “What is a job fair?” at some point in time during your job hunt. It’s a fair question. To understand the concept of a job fair, look at it as a form of speed dating. Several well-dressed employers are waiting at their booths for the right candidate to whisk them away into marital…err... employment bliss.

So how can you make job fairs work for you? Well, there’s two ways to look at a job fair.

Scan the attendee list and find couple of employers you’d like to work for. This is your opportunity to make connections, grab some business cards and possibly score an interview in the process.
If there are no employers you’d care to work for at this moment, but this is a great opportunity for you to practice interview skills, job search skills and your own professional conduct.

Essentially what I’m saying is … even if you’re not interested, go to the job fair anyway!

Rob’s proposed itinerary

Before the job fair:

Define your goals and objectives. Are there employers you would like to work for, or is this a practice test for something else?
Dress like you’re attending the most important interview of your life. I’ve been to many job fairs with people who are dressed like it’s just another day at the mall. Don’t do that.
Research the companies! All of them!
Make several copies of your résumé. If you have a copy of the attendee list in advance, make sure you have at least one for every booth and then some.
Create an introduction: Who am I? What are my career goals? Why do I want to work for this employer?

At the job fair:

Do not immediately rush to your most desired employer. I know it seems instinctive, but avoid doing that. Why? Because you want to test yourself a bit first with other employers. You wouldn’t rush straight to the main boss in a video game without levelling up your characters first, would you?
Once you’re calm and you’re feeling confident, then you can approach your preferred employer.
Collect as many business cards as there are employers. Leave a positive first impression by providing them with copies of your résumé and your own business cards (if you have some).
Be prepared to ask questions about the company, but also answer questions similar to those at a standard interview.

After the job fair:

Send individual, personalized thank-you cards. Seriously.
If you made promises to follow-up with employers, do so now. Use whatever method of contact they advised you to use (email, phone, in-person).
Reflect on your conduct. Were you your best self? How could you improve yourself next time? Be honest, but fair.
Job fairs may seem uninteresting because employers sometimes attend without job openings. What these employers are trying to do is establish a talent pool for when new positions become available. Treat each encounter like a job interview and you’ll be a face they’ll remember when you’re called for an interview.

Have you had success at a job fair? Share your story.

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