Tips for Job Fairs pleaseCan someone share some tips/experiences on how to approach recruiters at job fairs. I am pretty new to this. I want to make an impression on the recruiters instead of having my resume tossed into a pile with the rest.
Job Fairs are tricky in regards to making am impression. Or at least an impression that will last past the halfway point of the next person's talk with the employer or recruiter. There are generally so many job seekers at a job fair that movement is limited to only the direction that traffic is flowing. If people are standing next to a table to either research a company's display or waiting to speak with the next available recruiting individual, that person is pushed, shoved and can be subject to several punches and kicks by passersby. The sad fact of job fairs is that your resume WILL get tossed on a pile and subsequently forgotten. So, if you really want to make an impression, write a note to put with each resume. Hand write them prior to going to the fair and leave blanks to fill in witht he person's name and what position they are recruiting for. Carry a stapler and staple that note onto the resume after you speak with the person. (I'll write a sample note for you, but I have to leave the computer for a work thing). HIRE QUEST - You will see them under Hirequest.com. They are a waste of your time. They hold hiring events at local hotels like the Embassy Suites Hotel. They rent out one or two floors of hotel rooms where various companies can rent to solicit job candidates. I attended Hire Quest events three times at one location over a period of nine months. I visited 8-10 companies and none ever gave me a call back. I was given business cards and had made contact with the person but they never returned my calls, emails and letters. CAREER BUILDERS.COM - This is a much better service BUT they too will play games. I received 3-4 offers from companies I wanted to work for only to not hear from the companies representatives again. My secret was applying on my own without any help from companies like Monster.com, Careerbuilders.com or Indeed.com. I landed my current job by pure leg work.
Hi John Here is a little more information. Are job fairs worth your time? It all depends on how you approach them. Learn from this sticky situation. A job fair is a great opportunity to meet lots of potential employer. Here's how to prepare for this event. A job fair means mingling with an array of recruiters. To get their attention MCCathy Community Moderator Monster I'm in the Washington DC area and there are job fairs frequently. From experience, they are a waste of time. The recruiters sent to them are brand new to the companies represented, or can't explain benefits packages, or don't know anything about the positions listed, and generally don't interact with job seekers. The companies generally expect that the only reason you're there is to collect whatever nick-nacks they are giving away - which is pathetic. No, I don't want a foam cup holder, or a free pen, but I would like to know if the contract is firm fixed cost, cost plus award fee, or if it is task order based. Job fairs = waste of time.
I agree that job fairs nowadays are a waste of time. I attended one yesterday with about 30 companies represented. Almost every one, no matter what you asked them, referred you to their website. Geez, I can - and have - done that already, and I didn't have to wear a suit, waste half a day and several gallons of $3-a-gallon gas to do it! Oh, and nobody accepts paper resumes anymore...again, it was all "Apply online." I'm just glad I didn't have to pay to get in!! At least my stash of free pens is full again. I heard the same thing at the career fair that I just went to. Although I did notice two piles of resumes on the desks. I agree as well. The Internet has pretty much antiquated the job fair unless of course, you need a pen or a keychain. The exception to this is the One Company Job Fair and these are rare today. Also, on campus recruiting is a viable source of employment if you are still in school or a member of your alumni. But the big Boy Scout Jamboree Job Fair is a waste of time. | |
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Career Tips
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