Job fairs – how to gain the interest of potential employees?

A job fair is an event that allows company recruiters and hiring managers to meet with potential employees on a neutral ground. They allow the applicants to get a better understanding of the current work market and help them evaluate potential employers. Job fairs can be large or small. They are usually held in locations easily accessible to both employers and job seekers. They tend to be local, however international events are also common. How can various companies use job fairs to their advantage and gain the interest of potential employees?

The purpose of job fairs

The purpose of job fairs is to connect employers with potential employees. They are beneficial for both parties.

The advantages of job fairs for employees

From a job seeker perspective a job fair is a convenient place to gain an understanding of the current job market, meet with various recruiters and ask them questions regarding their company’s application process, as well as its organizational culture, and possibly find employment.

The advantages of job fairs for employers

Job fairs are often used by human resources departments to find new hires. They help companies save time and effort put into the recruiting process. Aside from being an effective means of prospecting jobs, job fairs are also used for networking with other professionals in the industry.

How to present the company at a job fair in order to gain the interest of potential employees?

For the purpose of gaining the interest of potential employees, the company should try to present itself in the best light possible. In order to do that, it should prepare a branded, professional, well organized, yet inviting booth for a job fair. It needs to convey the company’s identity and message, which can be done with the use of the company logo and appropriate colors and images. The booth should radiate positive energy and be operated by carefully selected staff. Each company employee chosen to work the job fair needs to be able to provide potential hires with important information, which means accurately describing:

• available positions,
• requirements for each job,
• opportunities within the company,
• recruitment process,
• organization’s corporate culture.

For the presentation purposes it is advised for the employees to be dressed in business attire or shirts with the company logo. A good idea is to also prepare an information package that contains a company brochure, a job application, and a list of benefits for the workers. In order to create an interactive and more memorable experience for the job seekers, promotional videos and audios can be implemented.

What accessories can be useful during a job fair?

Accessories that can be useful during a job fair and help draw attention of potential employees, consist of:

• advertising binders, which can store and display the company’s advertising materials and are ideal for setting a catalog intended for information purposes,
• file folders, which are a very convenient device for storing such documents as brochures, pamphlets, catalogs, advertising materials, and are invaluable when it comes to building the company’s coherent visual identity,
• personalized clipboards with the company’s logo, which allow to keep track of all the brochures, pamphlets, and job applications, facilitate the presentation of the employer’s offer, help create visual identity of the company, and attract the attention of potential hires.

Advantages of a good job fair presentation

A good job fair presentation, in which the company manages to present itself in a positive light, has the ability to attract the attention of valuable professionals and can effectively draw in highly qualified and skilled workers