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Whether in-person or virtual, a job fair can be a good way to get yourself in front of people who are hiring.
As a recruiter, I have been in many a job fair booth and have seen all manner of applicants. If you want the experience to be worth your time, here are some important things to consider:
Know Who Will Be There Before You Arrive and Prepare for It
Most job fairs publish a list of employers who will be in attendance. It is very much worth your while to look at this well before showing up and deciding who you really want to see.
You may not know exactly what you want to do with your work life. However, you probably have some idea as to industries that do and don’t interest you. If you’re interested in sales and advertising, but not social services, you’ll want to know beforehand who will be at the job fair and make a plan as to which booths to visit. Especially if it’s crowded, you want to use your time wisely. Be sure to visit the employers that have the greatest potential to be a match for you.
Bring Your Resume
Please don’t walk up to (or approach virtually) a booth and say, “So what does your company do?” As a recruiter, I know immediately that this person is not really interested. As noted above, do your homework and visit the booths of employers that interest you. Instead of asking what they do, have a brief introduction prepared, such as, “Hi, my name is —-. I’ll be graduating in May and I’m really interested in an entry level advertising position.”
Bring lots of copies of your resume and please make sure it has been proof-read. It is difficult to proof-read your own writing. Ask a friend or colleague who is good with spelling and grammar to take a look. That way you’ll be sure that your resume accurately reflects who you are rather than giving the wrong impression with spelling or grammatical errors.
For assistance with your resume, take a look at this post.
Dress Appropriately
Your best bet is to dress in attire that is business casual. You don’t need to wear a suit, but cut-off shorts and a tee shirt with writing on it will scream that you’re not serious about looking for a job.
Don’t Overload on Giveaways
Lots of employers offer giveaways to attract applicants. If you really need three extra water bottles and eleven pens, pick them up when you’re done with all the booths. Showing up to speak with a recruiter with your arms full of free stuff doesn’t give the impression of a serious job-seeker.
For a complete checklist of what you need for your job search, and why, get my FREE Job Search Readiness Checklist here.
