How Can Job Fairs Help Your Company?

You may have been thinking about participating in career fairs. To some, this may not be a very feasible idea. The same crowd of candidates that visit your booth may also be visiting your competitors’ booth. In manning your booth, you need manpower and resources. The resulting candidates that you managed to haul in are often unpredictable. How can you be assured your investment in career fairs will be justified?

Fruitful participations at job fairs require planning, creativity and commitment. Some of the points of consideration you may want to ponder on if you ever think of joining a career fair:

-Check out the track record of the career fair organizer. Find out if their previous events were successful. Attend other events that they are currently having, if there is any.
-How will the organizer help you to reach out to your targeted candidates? You will want to find out what kind of promotional activities planned prior to the fair, extend of media coverage the fair will be generating, the projected crowd turnout etc.
-Have your logistic concerns worked out. Will you have a table or interview cubicle for on-the-spot candidate screening? How about electricity, signage, carpets? Will you have ample time to set up your booth?
-A great way to promote employment branding for your company is by having giveaways. Think of a goodies bag. Plan for the cost, the time commitment and the follow up action required
-To ensure better success for your company, have a few company representatives present during the job fair. They need to be one of those outgoing and enthusiastic people – think of salesmen for your company products and services. That’s how you are going to sell your jobs to the candidates
-Be ready for your hot prospects right there at the booth. Have your application form, company information, contact details all ready at hand. If possible, conduct on-the-spot interviews. Always remember to follow up on candidates who are obviously interested in your company. You may not hire them now, but keeping in touch makes them “sold in” to your future job opportunities

Career fairs done right may just be an integral part of your recruiting process. With the expected turnaround of the economy getting near and scarce employee market becoming a reality, joining a career fair may be the best investment yet for your company staffing strategy.

(If you are in Singapore and interested in participate in job fairs, find out how EnergySkills can help you to participate in Career fair 2005, held at Suntec City Singapore at a low cost. For more info, email Razlan at editor@energyskills.com.sg)