MAKING THE MOST OF A JOB FAIR

A job fair is a forum where employers gather for a demanding day of recruiting. As a job seeker you there maybe 10 to 100 plus employers who have exhibit recruiting areas. (There maybe some companies that hold their own on-site recruiting events.) As a jobseeker you must take in account that employers invest an abundant amount of time and money in job fairs and career days,  which they take very seriously. Some companies may occasionally use these events for public relations and image-building purposes than for actual hiring, most of them collect resumes in the hopes of finding good candidates for current or future positions. (And yes, they do look at the resumes.) Your main goal at a job fair is to get noticed as a viable candidate, and to get your resume into employers’ files of ‘strong prospects’ – the first to be considered for jobs as they become available. Job fairs provide a unique chance for you to meet employer in person,  as employers use job fairs as a forum to meet you in person before the process of an  application and interview.  And chemistry definitely counst. This is where you having strong networking skills – and an ‘elevator speech’ – come in handy . At an event such as a job fair,  which will be very busy, you’ll  only have one to two minutes to make an impression to a potential employer. You must be able to convey a brief outline of your qualifications in a personable, professional and concise manner. Don’t make the assumption that a job fairs is a passive recruiting activity. Although job fairs provide a great environment to explore career options, each encounter with an employer is an active, ‘real’ interview. Whether you are interviewed on the spot or asked to return later for a scheduled meeting, take the process seriously. Dress professionally, bring plenty of resumes, and don't forget a notebook or clipboard to write down contacts, phone numbers and other notes to reference after the event. Always prepare for job fairs by finding out what companies will be represented and, if possible, learning something in advance about those firms you are most interested in. To get the most out of the day, arrive early, visit all the employers represented, and talk to each recruiter. Even if you don’t feel you’d be interested in working for a particular company, talk to the recruiter anyway. Use the opportunity to discuss the kind of position and organization you are looking for, with the hope that the recruiter might be able to offer a referral or some useful suggestions. You never know who knows whom or what opportunities may present themselves through a ‘master networking event’ like a job fair. So ask plenty of questions – you’ll rarely find a better opportunity to gather so much information in one place at one time.