Participating in a career fair is an excellent way to put a face to your company and attract talent. There is always a variety of job fairs going on throughout the country, and there are likely to be some coming up soon in your area. There are all different kinds of career fairs employers can find fresh talent at, from fairs on college or high school campuses to fairs for military veteran job seekers to ones that target specific industries. These events give you a chance to learn more about your talent pool and meet qualified applicants in person. But your company must be at the top of its game if you want to recruit successfully at career fairs. Here are some career fair tips for employers and recruiters:
1) Arrive Early and Organized
To avoid chaos and get the most out of the event, make sure you arrive with plenty of time to set up, get familiar with your surroundings and deal with any last-minute mishaps. Have all the paperwork you need printed out ahead of time in bulk so you don’t run out of anything. One of the career fair tips for recruiters and employers that will make it easier for job seekers to remember you and get in touch is to have everyone on your team prepared with plenty of business cards. Encourage staff members to pass them out to anyone they encounter.
2) Go the Extra Mile to Sell Your Company
One of the career fair tips for employers that is sure to make you stand out to attendees is handing out materials that market your brand. You never know who you will meet at a job fair. Not everyone will turn into a job candidate but they could turn into customers, clients or business partners of yours in the future. Have at least one promotional material printed out that gives basic information about your company and the jobs you are looking to fill. Another one of the career fair tips for employers and recruiters that will promote your brand is handing out useful materials with your company logo such as T-shirts, staplers, mousepads, frisbees and pens.
3) Prepare your staff members
Make sure you prepare any staff members that will be assisting you at the career fair. They should be fully aware of the qualities you are looking for in candidates, the positions you are looking to fill and the recent successes your company has had. Also, one of the most crucial career fair tips for employers and recruiters is to make sure all employees speaking to job seekers are familiar with every step of the hiring process. This could make or break many job seekers’ opinion of your brand. If you are unclear to applicants about when they will hear from you and what they can expect out of the hiring process, it could leave a bad taste in their mouth. And as well all know, bad news travels faster than good news.
4) Stay Focused
Always have your head up to greet career fair attendees. If you are looking down texting or talking inappropriately with your co-workers it will send a bad vibe to job seekers about your company culture. Another one of the career fair tips for recruiters and employers that will help you stay focused is to stand beside your booth, instead of sitting. That way you can easily reach out your hand to potential job candidates. And of course, don’t forget to smile at all times.
5) Make Potential Candidates Feel Special
To show candidates you care, ask them questions about topics such as what they are studying in school, what kind of jobs they have had in the past and what skills they are most proud of. Get to the point with candidates so you don’t waste valuable time at the fair, but be sure to make the conversation interesting and engaging. One of the important college career fair tips for employers and recruiters is to bring along any employee alums of the school the fair is held at and have them use that as a conversation starter. Remember names of as many candidates as possible. This is especially important if you aren’t accepting resumes and are referring them to apply online. It will be a useless effort if you forget the names of the qualified candidates you meet and they just end up at the bottom of a pile of resumes.
Author: Jessica Cody
Jessica Cody, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, has a background in online marketing and public relations. Currently, she works at VHMNetwork LLC in the role of Marketing Analyst. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. She is also an avid runner with a passion for the outdoors.
