I believe most people who go to job fairs are wasting their time.
It’s not because job fairs are a bad idea or that everyone who goes, job seekers and employers, doesn’t have the best intentions. They are wasting their time because they don’t know what to do when they are there.
Typically, job fairs attract hundreds of hopeful job seekers who want an opportunity, a chance to start their career, or a chance at a better job; all they need is a break. Employers go, take out of their busy schedules, spend money on displays and space, on swag, and are as hopeful as the job seekers. Some engage, begin conversations, and make the case for themselves and/or their organizations, and leave with exactly what they want.
Unfortunately, those people are the minority. Go to a job fair and watch what most people do. The job seekers arrive and register, but they are intimidated; they do the circuit, do not engage, and leave unfulfilled and more discouraged than when they arrived.
We need to change this, they need help, they need to end their frustration; they need a plan.
And here’s how, if you are a job seeker:
What type of work are you looking for. What is your “magic wand” job? Any good job search begins with a goal and a plan. Decide what that job is, look at the skills that you have, at the skills required, and make a job search plan. Attending a job fair is just one step in your overall plan. For a job fair, you need to create a specific sub-plan.
What are your expectations? What does success look like for you? It might be making connections, it might be getting advice, and it might be speaking to an employer. Overriding everything should be the purpose of interesting them in how you can solve their problems.
What is your plan? To avoid being one of those people who do the “circuit and leave,” make a plan a week or two before attending. Who do you want to talk to, what do you want to say, what questions do you think they might ask, what questions do you want to ask them, and what do you need to bring with you.
What employers are going to be there? Before deciding on going to a job fair, learn about which employers are to be at the job fair and what types of jobs will be offered; are the jobs entry-level, mid-range, or senior? This information will help you prepare.
What if you don’t have all the skills they are looking for? It is important to remember employers create job advertisements based on the premise, “If they could build the perfect applicant; but the reality is that very seldom does the perfect applicant ever apply; therefore, going to a job fair and having a discussion with an employer you may be able to demonstrate that you, even without all of the attributes they are seeking, maybe the best person for their job.
Do you need to go? The short answer is yes; however, if you are not going to create a plan and if you are not going to engage with employers, you may be wasting your time. Simply showing up is not enough.
How should you prepare?
- Research the organizations that are attending the job fair.
- Look at their social media and their websites and learn about them and the types of jobs they may have available.
- Target the employers you are most interested in talking to. Create a list of questions you want to ask.
- Make sure your resume highlights your skills and abilities with the direct purpose of solving employers’ problems; the essence of your resume should be to promote what you can do for them rather than what they can do for you.
- Have printed copies of your resume available, but also be able to easily provide a digital copy for the employer.
- Have a notepad or digital version of one to make notes and record names.
- Ask for business cards for contact information to follow up with employers after the job fair.
Executing your plan. Going to a job fair is easy; executing your plan to achieve your expectations will require you to venture well outside your comfort zone; it is difficult but worthwhile.
- Decide when you should go. Decide for yourself if is it better to go early to get the first crack at speaking to employers, appreciating that it is typically when they have the most people competing for their attention. Or is it better to after that initial flood of people has come and gone and there is more time to speak with employers. Additionally, allow yourself 10-15 minutes to speak with your targeted employers and base your arrival time on the number of employers you wish to engage with at the job fair.
- How do you deal with the crowds? Regardless of when you decide to go to the job fair, there will be lots of people. You will have to engage with employers, and you may have to wait; however, do not stand and wait too far from where the employer is speaking to people; you have to make sure they realize you are waiting to speak to them.
- How do you deal with the intimidation? Everyone feels intimidated during a job fair, but you have to focus on why you are there and what you want to accomplish. The more you engage the easier it will be for you. It is important to acknowledge your nervousness but not to allow it to get in your way of accomplishing your expectations.
- How do you approach people who look unapproachable? You will find some people who do not realize they are unapproachable, they may be on their cell phones, they may be talking to a member of their organization, and/or they may be speaking to another job seeker. Make sure they see you, stand close so they don’t forget about you, and remember despite how they appear, they are here to see people like you.
- Making contact. This is where being prepared really will help you. Ask the employer to tell you about why they are here today and who they are looking for. Use your research to ask about the types of opportunities you are seeking and let them ask questions about you and what you can offer them. It’s okay to be nervous, you will get more comfortable the more you ask.
More ways to improve your chances. When you arrive, scout out all of the employers on your plan, which ones are busiest, which ones look most approachable, and use that information to plan your approach; start with the quieter ones and then work towards the busier ones. Prior to the job fair, consider working with a career advisor from an employment agency. Many government-funded career centers provide their services for free and will be excellent at preparing you, encouraging you, and accompanying you as you approach employers. When you have completed speaking to every employer in your plan, do another circuit to see if there are any other promising employers; the pressure will be less and you may have developed the confidence to engage them as well.
Following Up. Perhaps the most important element of engaging employers at a job fair is the one most frequently omitted by job seekers. There is a common belief among job seekers that following up is somehow bothersome to employers. As a result, they passively rely on employers to contact them. Instead, after engaging with an employer and they seem interested in you, ask “What are the next steps?” and they will tell you; but importantly, also ask for a business card and for permission to follow up. Employers may speak to a hundred people at the job fair, and despite their best intentions, they may forget you; take ownership of your job search by asking permission to follow up with them in 2-3 days, they will either say “yes or no,” the majority of the time they will not mind and you will have demonstrated initiative further strengthening their interest in you.
Should you go to a job fair?
By all means providing you have done at least the preparation in this post before arriving. If you create and execute your plan, even if you are not successful, you will have gained experience, and if you apply the lessons learned about “what worked, what didn’t work, and what can I do better the next time,” then you will be better positioned to be successful next time. Your success is achievable, but you must do more than simply show up.
Good luck,
Paul.