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Job Fair Can
Provide A
Valuable Employment Resource
I love going to a job fair and getting free stuff. But this is not the
only value to these job extravaganzas.
Although I don't like all the crowds and people bumping into each
other. Or waiting in long lines only to find out they do not have the
position you are interested in, there is value to be gained.
You may see other terms used, such as: career day, career expo, job
expo, hiring expo and tech expo.
Whatever the term, it's basically the same. My recommendation is to go
to the employment hiring expo (or whatever they call it), but go with
the intention of building up your network
and making contact with
potential employers.
Here are my job fair
tips and advice.
- Dress nice and present a professional image
(goes without saying).
- Bring a zillion resumes and drop one off at
each table you are
interested in.
- Don’t be surprised if the stack of resumes
is huge.
Remember, you are trying to cast a wide net.
- If you (or they) have time, present yourself
and what you are
looking for.
- Grab as many business cards as you can find.
- Write down email
addresses and contact information.
- When you get home, follow up with
that person.
- Resend your resume, cover
letter and begin a dialog.
How to find a
job fair
- There are many organizations that routinely
have "company expos" throughout the year.
- You may see them advertised in your local
newspaper...or just by driving by and see a sign in the window.
- Another option is to conduct a search on the
web for employment fairs in your area.
- There are a ton of websites that exist solely
for providing this information. And many often focus on
certain themes, such as "IT Expo" or "Tech Expo".
- Some fairs are held for Master degree
candidates, women, minorities and college students.
As I eluded to, these events can be overwhelming at times, with many
people waiting to see the same employer, on-the-spot interviewing,
noise and sometimes confusion.
But they can also be a valuable tool and a good way to meet company
representatives face-to-face. Many times, you can get a
"feel" for the organization and weed out those that might not be a good
match for you.
Remember to review some tips on participating which will help make your
experience a positive one.
The best way to get started is just to go to one and check it out.
If the job
fair is not your cup of tea, you might want to use your time
on the computer looking at online
jobs for job
opportunities. Whatever
it takes to grow your network and contact list.
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