Do you want to optimize your job fair success? If so, these are the job fair tips for you! We have all been to job fairs, especially recently, where there are 5,000 or 8,000 or 12,000 people competing for a few hundred positions. I am going to share with you three job fair tips that will help you stand out from the crowd and help you compete more successfully.
- Job Fair Tips 1 of 3: Grab a business card of everyone you come into contact with. In the sea of job seekers, you are going to be just another face to that employer. How are you going to stand out? By collecting a business card of each employer you speak with, you are able to follow up individually and have a hand in the process.
- Job Fair Tips 2 of 3: We have all seen the long lines of job seekers waiting to talk to the employers. Once you have finally meandered your way to the front, take advantage! Ask the employer to share one interesting factoid about the company with you. You will find that they do not get this question very often, and you will actually have an engaging, although probably brief, conversation. You can then repeat this information back to this person when you follow up after the event. This appealing approach demonstrates your critical thinking skills, your diligence and will lead to job fair success.
- Job Fair Tips 3 of 3: Do not walk in with your resume or complete an application while there. The purpose of the job fair is to simply identify the players and choose which ones to follow up with based on your conversations with the representatives and what you learned about the company. Once you have identified the players and the employment opportunities, you can now specifically draft your resume and cover letter to those employers.
If you have been to a job fair, you will agree that they are chaotic and prove futile for the majority of job seekers. By taking advantage of these three Job Fair Tips, you will stand out from the crowd and optimize your effectiveness. I look forward to sharing more information with you next week.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
at a job fair, what exactly do I do to help me stand out from all of the other possible candidates for the same job I am going for?
I have never had an opportunity to attend one of these job fairs, but they definitely sound chaotic and competitive. Your three tips make sense to me, and I especially like #2. If I ever find myself at one of these job fairs, you can bet I’ll keep these strategies in mind!