How to Stop Fishing at Job Fairs

On Thursday, more than 10,000 job seekers turned out for a job fair in New Hampshire. The turnout was so high, job fair organizers had to cut off admission after two hours.

With so many candidates flocking to these events, it is important that attendees understand how to make themselves stand out at a job fair. In Virginia, we have been a participating employer at multiple job fairs, and the lack of preparation on the part of candidates is both transparent and consistent.

Employers pay hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars for exhibit space at job fairs, and have put a lot of time and effort into the display and materials that they bring. If an organization is that serious about the job fair, you should be too. Most often there’s a website detailing the organizations that will be attending and the positions for which they are hiring.

Do your homework. Decide which organizations you’re interested in and why. Research them, and prepare targeted resumes and cover letters designed to highlight your value to the particular employers you want. If there’s nothing at the job fair that you’re interested in, it can still be a good networking opportunity, but you should treat it that way going in.

Expect that it is an opportunity to meet and greet, rather than dropping off a dozen resumes at companies you know nothing about. Employer representatives are doing initial screenings as they speak to attendees, and they can tell who has seriously researched them, and who is fishing. Those “fishing” resumes rarely garner a second look. The day of the event, no matter how casual the venue, dress and behave as if you’re headed to an interview. Arrive as early as possible. Take your padfolio, copies of your resume, business cards, and a working pen and notepad.

Silence your cell phone (yes, prospective candidates have stopped mid-conversation with us to answer their phones). Go directly to the tables of the employers you’ve targeted, introduce yourself, give your elevator speech, and drop off your resume, cover letter, and business card. Every event is different but you should be prepared to interview the day of the job fair if necessary. Ask for the business card of those you speak to, and make a note on the back after you leave the table, to remind yourself of key points about the person. It’s a good idea to know your schedule for the week or so after the job fair, so that you can tell prospective employers when, exactly, you’d be available for an interview, should they request one.

Follow up after a job fair is critical. The next day at the latest, send a Thank You note to anyone you may have connected with or spoken to, and a LinkedIn request if appropriate. The next week, if you haven’t heard anything, it’s appropriate to make a follow up phone call. Making every effort to stand out in a professional and courteous manner is key to being noticed in the crowds at job fairs.