Are Job Fairs Worth the Time?

We are in one of the high seasons for job fairs.  Generally, we see a rise in job fairs in September and October, and again in January through April. Is it worth the effort of dressing up, taking time off from work, parking or cab expenses – not to mention giving your pageant smile muscles a major work-out?  It can be, but you need to choose the job or career fair that’s right for you.  Recently a client called to provide feedback regarding his time spent at a job fair. Within 10 minutes, he knew it was not the fair for him. He said: it was a cross between the woman wearing leggings with an over-sized cat-themed sweatshirt and the man asking if he could have a slice of cheese from the recruiters’ hospitality table that alerted him that he was at the wrong fair.  Avoid this nightmare by selecting your fair wisely.

Look for niche fairs based on your industry or occupation; you are more likely to find a match. For general fairs, review the list of employers committed to attend.  Sometimes this information is not published until just before the event.  If you see a company of interest on the list, contact the company to inquire about what type of positions for which they are recruiting at the upcoming event.  Oftentimes someone in HR is prepared to answer general questions.  Some career fairs will give clues to the audience they are seeking, such as, “Sales professionals are encouraged to attend.”  The point is to gather as much information as possible before you make the time investment to attend.

Once you are there, make the most of it.  Have a portfolio of crisp résumés to share.  Use the Disneyland strategy of attack.  Before the gates open, identify the top three companies you want to visit before you leave.  Get in line for those companies.  If you have time to spare after that, visit your second tier.  You may have less than two minutes to speak to the representative, so rehearsing your elevator speech is   wise.