How to Work a Job Fair

Job fairs are a great place to network. It's an opportunity for you to showcase your skills and make an impression on an employer. But do not set your expectations high. You may receive an on-the-spot interview but typically, recruiters and managers do not make job offers at these events.

To get the most out of a job fair, you should be prepared to talk confidently about your skills and how they could meet the needs of each employer you talk to. You want to stand out to employers based on the value your skills could offer their company. Here are a few tips.

1. "Plan Your Attack" - What to do the day before. Make a list. Get a list of companies attending and choose 10-15 that are offering positions that you are interested in.  Research each company of interest. Many job-seekers go to fairs to "see the sights" and are not prepared to interview. You can get a huge jump on the competition by doing some research on each of the companies you want to interview with. Hoovers.com offers alot of information -- very little for free and more for a fee. Web100 tracks the largest American and international companies on the Web. Vault.com is well know for it's insider reports on thousands of companies. Talk to current employees to get an idea of the work environment. Ask them what they like and dislike about the company and why they chose to work for the company. Go to your favorite search engine and find the company's websites. Inspect your resume to ensure that it is updated and has accurate information. Make sure you have different versions of your resume (example: admin/clerical, management, payroll, etc.). Prepare a "Wow" statement. This is a 60-second introduction, which should include your name, your skills and why you are interested in this company. Be sure to include some interesting fact that you learned about the company during your research. Practice your approach. Work on your handshake as you hand over your resume, your eye to eye contact, and your introduction. It's part of the impression you will leave with the employer.  Put together your "Job fair kit". A bonded portfolio presents a more professional appearance and can neatly store your resumes, notebook and pen. If you have business cards leave them at home. Your resume is your business card. Pack plenty of copies of your resume(s).

2. "Execute, Execute, Execute" - The Day of the Job Fair.  Arrive early and revisit each booth before leaving. Turn your cell/pager off before entering the event.  Don't forget the eye-to-eye contact and firm handshake. Have your resume out and ready to hand over. Remember to smile. Helps to relax you and shows enthusiasm. Try to eavesdrop when employer speaks with other candidates so you do not ask the same questions. Use follow up questions. Ask intelligent questions - 1) "What are your fields of greatest need and do you anticipate these needs changing over the next few years?"; 2) "What kind of career opportunities are available for people with my degree and skills?”; 3) "What qualities are you looking for in new hires?"; 4) “What are your future hiring plans?”; 5) “Describe the work environment at your organization?”; 6)“What characteristics do you see in successful people at your organization? “Get a business card from each company you are interested in.  Jot down notes about company you visited and conversations you had with the recruiter. You will need the information for your follow up. Do some networking with your fellow job seekers in terms of sharing information about job leads and companies. After you leave the job fair reflect on what you did well and what you can improve on. Write those thoughts down so you can work on them before attending your next job fair.

3. "Life after the Job Fair". As a recruiter I am amazed at how few job seekers actually take the time to follow-up after a job fair, thus when you do it, you will get an edge over the many others who do not.
Send "Thank you" notes or letters as soon as possible. In the letter or note, thank the recruiter for his/her time, restate your interest and qualifications for the position, reiterate your interest in a second interview, and make a promise to follow-up the letter with a phone call. Mention something you learned about the company while you were at the job fair. Refer to those notes you took at the event. Another method is to call the recruiter the evening of the fair and leave a voicemail message thanking the recruiter again for his/her time that day. A more concrete and traditional method is to write a thank you note and mail it the next day to the address on the recruiter's business card. I would recommend including another copy of your resume.