Blog Post: Yes, You Need to Go to the Career Fair!

When a recruiter meets you at a career fair, plan on (1) asking the recruiter 1 question about the company that indicates you have done some research and (2) delivering your 20-second speech for the specific job you're applying for. You should only having maybe a minute with the recruiter. Sure, you can take longer, but that will irritate the recruiter who is looking at a long line of patient candidates. Be empathic to those behind you, be succinct, and be enthusiastic.

You'll notice that recruiters at fairs will generally take a resume and they will ask the candidate to apply online. The paper resume that they take at the fair is for them to write a note or two about you. Skilled recruiters will even just make a hash-mark on the back of the resume indicating they want to follow-up with the candidate. The online submission is to ensure they stay complaint with current legal best practices.

If you do not go to the career fair, you will miss the opportunity for the recruiter to want to spend more time with you. You want the recruiter to meet you, look at your resume, and take a copy. If you make a good impression, they'll follow-up with you without even searching the applicant pool for other candidates. Why follow-up with a candidate they've never met when they've met you, enjoyed their moment with you, and were pleased with your credentials.

Be polished at the fair and you'll have a much better chance of getting something out of the event. There are many job seekers, but most of them will come across as frustrated or having done no research. Key advice:

• Be positive and enthusiastic
• Do your research on the company's you're interested in and the positions they are offering
• Bring up-to-date resumes
• Have a thorough 20-second (yes, 20-second) commercial
• Be prepared to do a lot of online applying after the fair
• Follow-up immediately after the fair, completing any task the recruiters indicated you needed to complete in order to be considered

As always, let us know if there's anything we can do to help you get ready for your job hunt.

Good luck in your search!