I recently attended the Career & Education expo in Prince George to get a feel for the employment scene and see the schools popping up in the area. As the unemployment rate increases in BC, it’s likely we will see more job fairs and a lot more educational opportunities as well (this is a common trend – going to school while waiting employment to come back is generally a good investment), so it’s worth getting to know a job fair so that you can make use of it.
What are the benefits of attending a job fair? When we think of one, we tend to think purely of the job search piece – most people go to one in the hopes of getting their foot in the door for a job, or if they’re really lucky, getting an interview on the spot. Employers attend job fairs to meet prospective employees face-to-face or at least promote their organization/business to the wider community. But there are other benefits such as simple networking, socializing with other people, and learning about what the community has to offer.
With this in mind, how can you best prepare yourself for a job fair?
Temper Your Expectations
I know, the job fair promoters all say ‘prepare to be interviewed!’ And there’s nothing wrong with going in with a hope of being interviewed. Wear nice clothing, shower, be ready to talk, have a copy of your resume on hand, and so on. But don’t expect it. Oftentimes, employers are at job fairs just to get a lay of the land, talk about their business, and connect people to their hiring pages. It’s not at all common to be interviewed on the spot, let alone hired. Instead, you should go in with an eye towards making a good impression, getting contact information for hiring managers/talent acquisition, and learning more about the different businesses to decide if you even want to work for them (or attend their training programs).
Honestly, your goal should be to get out with the contact information of the people and businesses you most want to follow up with for a position. Getting an interview would be glorious, but don’t expect it. Instead, your goal is to make a positive impression and get the information to follow up on a resume or job position.
It’s Probably Going to be Smaller Than You Imagine
#1 Education and Job Expo sounds flashy, but honestly, it wasn’t very big! I think there were about a dozen employers and almost that many again training schools, training programs, and general organizations. It wasn’t very large at all.
But that’s ok because a smaller job fair gives you a lot more scope to be friendly, give a good impression and not get lost in the shuffle. I got to actually have some good conversations with hiring managers and talent acquisition people. Plus there was more swag than I could possibly have taken home had I grabbed it all. So don’t be discouraged if the job fair is a lot smaller than you envisioned – that just means you have time to visit everyone you want to meet, get to know what’s out there, and you won’t feel as crammed or rushed.
Some Job Fairs Have Inclusive Blocks
Some job fairs have dedicated blocks of time for people who need quieter, less crammed spaces to really flourish. These can are usually the final hour (or the first hour) of the job fair and are geared for people with disabilities who struggle in a crowd. If this sounds like something that would be of benefit to you, make sure to take advantage of it. The more it gets used, the more other job fairs will offer it and that’s great for everyone.
Go In With a Plan
Sure you can just go to a job fair with no plan, but then you will probably not get as much out of it.
Job fairs always post the employers/organizations that are supposed to attend ahead of time, usually on their website and/or social media. Go through the list and identify the organizations you are interested in, then check out their websites/social media and fine tune what you think you can get out of talking to them. Your goal probably won’t be to talk to every business or organization because some of them simply won’t fit your needs and thus it’s a waste of everyone’s time. Instead, you should identify the ones that suit your goals and needs and then utilize your time to talk to them specifically, especially since you might have to wait your turn!
This preparation work also means that you can ask sensible questions, say sensible things and show your genuine interest in what they do. This all means you make a more positive impression and will more likely be remembered later. You don’t want to be caught off guard by what they want because you didn’t do the groundwork ahead of time – that’s not going to look good on you.
Don’t forget to grab business cards so you can follow up appropriately later!
Job fairs are not really meant to get you hired or even interviewed. It’s nice when it happens, but that’s not really the goal of them. Instead, a job fair is a chance to meet with hiring and talent acquisition people, get to know a bit more about different organizations, and make a positive impression on others. When you plan with that in mind, you can relax a little bit and really get to know the businesses in your area. Have fun above all else – being positive and friendly alone goes a long way for many people!
