How to Work a Career Fair

By Terri Bruce, CWDP, GCDFI, JCTC

Most people think the object of a job fair is to get a job. It’s not. The employers at a job fair are most often recruiters and not the people in charge of making hiring decisions. It is very rare that you might be hired on the spot at a job fair. Instead, your mission is to get contact information and try to get interviews. But to do this effectively requires a bit of pre-planning and some strategizing. In a place with hundreds of employers and hundreds of job seekers, it can be hard to make the right connection with employers. Here are some tips to help you.

Get Ready To Rumble!

Take your resume! Take the time to put your resume on quality bond paper and bring one copy for every employer expected to be there. You may not need them all, but it’s better to have too many than too few. Do not fold or crease your resumes; put them in a folder to keep them wrinkle free. You probably won’t need your references, but bring 5-10 copies with you anyway, just in case.
You can usually find a list of employers expected to be at the job fair and the positions they are hiring for on the Internet or in the newspaper. You should make up a list of the employer’s you want to see and take it with you; if you don’t have enough time to see every employer, make sure you see those on your list!
Dress professionally. A job fair is a professional recruitment event and you want to look your best. Dress as you would for an interview.
Wear comfortable shoes. You will be on your feet for an hour or more!
Bring a bag! You will be picking up a lot of stuff and you’ll need a place to put it! Ideally, you will bring a bag that can be slung on or across your shoulders to leave your hands free.
Leave your coat in the car or bring a lightweight one. You want your hands as free as possible so you can shake hands and get at your resumes without juggling.
Bring water! At most job fairs there is either no free water or no water at all.

Ready … Set … Go!

On the day of the job fair, try to go early. The employers get tired, too, and it’s harder to have a quality conversation with a tired recruiter who may not really be listening to you. Try to go first thing in the morning. If you have to go later in the day, avoid lunchtime (12-1). Most employers will be away from their tables and you won’t get any face time with them.
Grab a program on your way in and check out the floor plan. It’s a good idea to see as many employers as you can. Try to circulate around the room in an orderly pattern; if you leapfrog around you will tend to lose track of whom you have seen.
Don’t stand in line! There’s no point to standing in line; while you are doing that, lines are forming elsewhere. Make a note to revisit that employer and move on.
Put your resume in the hands of everyone you talk to (even if they don’t have work for you at this time. Something may come up in the future) and make sure you get a business card back from them! If they don’t have a business card, ask for their name, title and phone number and write it down on the company’s job description.
Don’t assume; talk to the employers! Many companies do not advertise every position they have available at the moment. You should talk to the employer to truly find out if they have a position for you or not. Give them your resume and introduce yourself. You should have an introduction that takes sixty seconds or less to say that covers your name and what type of work you are looking for. For instance, “Hi! I’m Jim and I have three years of experience as an administrative assistant. Are you currently hiring administrative or support staff?” or “Hi! I’m Brenda. I have 2 years of experience doing accounting and bookkeeping type work. Do you currently have any positions available for someone with my qualifications?”
Start with conversation, not with grabbing goodies! You’re there to get a job; the free pens are just icing on the cake. But if you start by grabbing pens off the table, it sends the message you’re there for the free pens and the job is the icing. There will be time enough for pens later.
Make sure the company’s name is on the job descriptions you pick up. If not, write it down while you are at the table!

Post-Game Wrap Up

Follow up! Send a thank you card to everyone you talked with. In the thank you note, re-iterate the type of work you are looking for, your skills, and repeat any parts of the conversation that were really important. For instance, “As we discussed, I will call you Tuesday to set up an interview for the Area Supervisor position.” This follow-up is critical. Recruiters at a job fair will speak to hundreds of job seekers. For you to stand out of the crowd, you will need to make them remember you. A thank you note that contains good details will go a long way!

# # #

Terri Bruce is a nationally credentialed career development specialist and is the author of the career advice guide, “The Career Choice Manual: A 12-Step Guide To Figuring Out What To Do With Your Life.” Her company, The Success Shop, provides career consulting, assessment, and professional development services to both individuals and organizations. © Terri Bruce, The Success Shop (www.KingAndBruce.com)