In this time, when everything is getting online, do job fairs still hold a place in the job search market? Well, it may come to you as a surprise, but they actually do! Job fairs are an excellent opportunity to meet people from organizations that allure you. And it’s always difficult for a piece of paper to do any justice for you.
Hence job fairs are an excellent opportunity to meet several recruiters under one roof, letting them know you, networking with people from different industries and background, see what’s available in the market. And get your queries addressed on the spot.
Who knows you might unexpectedly figure out the organization you were not even considering aligns perfectly with your career goals and vision.
Here are a few benefits of job fairs for candidates and why you must go to one;
Networking
The most significant benefit of career fairs is the chance to build relationships with proposed employers. Recent researches show that 85% of all jobs are built by networking, so use this opportunity to stand out before recruiters as someone who could profit their organization.
Career fairs allow you to have various conversations at once with different organizations that pertain to your desired industry. Some job seekers think networking is talking to as several people as possible, but that’s not the most suitable method. Smart networking is meeting less well-connected people who can speak profoundly about what you deliver to the table.
Additionally, exchanging business cards and following up with the business after the career fair allows you to illustrate your interest in their organization, while also standing out over other job seekers. Even if there are no current job opportunities in a company that interests you, you still have the chance to make an enduring impression. Who knows, they might recognize you for future opportunities that need to be fulfilled!
See opportunities
Another significant reason to visit a career fair is the capacity to find job opportunities within your industry. Researches show that the majority of jobs are not advertised on the internet. 80% of the jobs are filled through referral.
This indicates that job-seekers might be giving their time hunting the web for an opportunity when they could be out there speaking to employers and making contacts in person. Career fairs allow you to become aware of smaller companies you may not have known existed.
Additionally, career fairs exhibit openings in other locations as well, which could bring you a multitude of different opportunities.
More face to face experience
Career fairs enable you to practice and become confident speaking with hiring managers, which will better equip you for the interview process. Use this time to employ successful interview tactics, such as giving them a firm handshake, a friendly voice, and eye contact.
Use the time you get with employers to market yourself by explaining how your skills match up to the organization’s interest. Recruiters are known to ask basic conversation questions at job fairs. By knowing how to interpret these, you will be well prepared for complicated interview questions in the future. Additionally, use career fairs to ask questions and to frame questions to get the answers you want.
As the majority of job seekers understand by now, one of the most critical parts of the interview process is when hiring managers allow you to ask them questions. Most job seekers get to a career fair to analyze more about their field of interest, so use this chance to inquire. Attending a job fair not only expands your awareness concerning companies in your industry, but it will also provide you sufficient knowledge to land the desired position once you find what amuses
Present Yourself
Career fairs offer job seekers an opportunity to make a lasting impact on employers by interacting with them individually—it is impossible to make this type of connection when submitting a resume. Besides, meeting a job recruiter for a company in person could potentially make up for what your resume may lack.
Career fairs allow you to introduce yourself memorably. After all, this could eventually allow you to get your foot inside a company that interests you. That being said, employers will see numbers of possible candidates at career fairs. After a while, faces could get blur to them. Assure that you stand out from the pack. That way, when they do notice your name again, they will remember you as someone who left a lasting impression, parting you from the faceless candidates.
Summarizing, career fairs can be very advantageous to your future, so don’t pass up the chance to learn more about companies within your area of interest. Career fairs encourage you to be welcoming to new ideas—it might even spark your interest in an area you have never considered!
