Job Fairs -- Another Outlet for the Job Search Quest

A few well-meaning folks have told me that job fairs would not be worth my time and energy. However, I always believe that any event presents opportunity, and even if I only make one connection or leave with just one meaningful takeaway, then attending the career fair has been worth my time and efforts.

 

The most recent job fair I participated in was in the greater LA metro area, part of Monster’s Keep America Working Tour. It was refreshing departure from two other events I’ve attended in the last two weeks, both from a distance and cultural standpoint. It was well-organized and attended. The substantial attendance, both by participating firms and job seekers, was due to that fact that the job fair was driven and supported by a very large local daily paper that did plenty of advertising.

 

The quality of hiring employers was varied and suited the California climate. For example, two outdoor activity-focused firms were participating, which is spot on for the excellent weather in that locale. Not only was there a diversity of firms represented, but job seekers could also take a number of free training seminars in marketing themselves, resume writing, etc. The energy level and positive outreach from Monster in creating this event was very much appreciated by many of the attendees I spoke with throughout the day. They all felt it was well worth their time and effort, whether they were searching for a position or an employee.

 

This career fair reassured me that firms are indeed seeking competent, savvy professionals. The employers were quite gracious in their time and insights about their opportunities. One executive shared that the two key attributes in a successful hire for his firm is "attitude and activity" -- wisdom I never would have gleaned if I hadn’t spoken to the company in person. Additionally, the presentations gave me some good tips on how to appropriately stand out in a crowd.

 

No matter what the format, I always find it somewhat challenging to navigate employment fairs. You never know what you are going to get when you go in or what takeaway you should be looking for. I went to one in Manhattan in a beautiful, cool venue with a well-organized registration, but the paucity of firms seeking employees was striking -- it was very disappointing. Nonetheless, I was able to connect in person with a firm that specializes in technical translations for government work on a contract basis. I would have never found this firm on my own if it had not been for this job fair.

 

Another event was an evening showcase, where representatives from each firm spoke for two minutes about what they were looking for in employees. Afterwards, each firm had a booth so job seekers could speak with the reps one-on-one. Unfortunately for my skill set, 95% of the firms were seeking sales individuals who could live off commission checks. There was only one firm that had a technical hands-on position that involved serious training and consequent established customer interactions from a tech support standpoint. That was the one positive takeaway I had from this job fair. 

 

So how do I unearth gems when I go to these events? My approach is to work the room counterclockwise. By going against the flow, you can more astutely observe the hiring firms’ interactions with potential hires. By watching their body language, you can take cues and better calibrate your interactions with that particular interviewer. Additionally, before the job fair, I quickly read up about the firms of interest if I can. Otherwise, pulling up a Web page on a mobile device is a speedy and discreet way to prepare as you stand in line waiting to speak with a particular firm. Lastly, if there is time while standing in line, strike up a quick conversation with those around you -- it’s another networking possibility. As they say, you never know who knows who.

 

How do you participate in or experience such job fair events? Any unique takeaways that would resonate with your fellow laid-off colleagues?

 

For more job fair advice, check out these articles:

 

     * “9 Tips to Improve Your Chances at Career Fairs”

     * “Resume Tips for Job Fair Success”

     * “Dressing for Career Fairs”

     * “Prepare Your Elevator Speech”

 

Share this post: Digg, StumbleUpon, del.icio.us, Facebook, Twitter, etc.