7 Strategies for Job Fair Success

Attending a job fair may not lead to an immediate job offer, but it is an excellent opportunity to expand your professional network and connect with potential employers and other job seekers that can help you advance your career. Here are seven strategies to help you succeed at your next job fair.

1. Keep Your Expectations Realistic

Let’s face it: a job fair can feel a bit like a hyper-competitive cattle call. There will likely be 500 people applying for 15 positions. Receiving a job offer is pretty unlikely, so your efforts should focus on making a positive impression on recruiters at your targeted companies and building networking connections that you can leverage in your career development efforts.

2. Do Your Pre-Event Homework

Review the list of companies attending the fair to see which ones have openings for applicants with your skill set. Spend time researching these companies before the event and make them the focus of your time at the fair.

3. Create and Practice Your Elevator Speech

Recruiters will meet hundreds of candidates at the job fair. To have any hope of being remembered, you need to perfect an “elevator speech”: your 30 second pitch about who you are, what skills and experience you have, and what value you would bring to an employer. Start by writing out it on paper, and practicing it a few times with a friend before the job fair.

4. Smile…and Put Your Best Foot Forward

No, I don’t mean wear comfortable shoes (although that’s definitely a must). Putting your best foot forward at a job fair means using your pre-event preparation to market yourself to potential employers. Simply handing your resume to a recruiter won’t impress them. Draw on your research about the company to ask the recruiter questions about the position you are interested in, and demonstrate that you understand the company’s business. Be sure to offer the recruiter your card, and ask for one of theirs. And don’t forget to smile.

5. Arrive Early

This one’s a no brainer. Arriving early will help you avoid the long lines, make your time more productive, and give you more opportunities to network with companies and fellow jobseekers.

6. Map out your route

You planned and prioritized a list of companies you want to visit. Now it’s time to marry that up with a map of the show floor so you can be efficient with your time. A good strategy is to meet with the more popular employers on your list early in the day, before the lines become unmanageable (another benefit of arriving early). Spend the remaining time focused the secondary companies on your list, as well as networking with other job seekers.

7. Follow Up Quickly

Recruiters meet hundreds of candidates at job fairs, so you must act quickly to stay top of mind. Send a thank you email after the event to each recruiter you met within 48 hours. Reference where and when you met, the position you are interested in, and thank them for their time. Be sure to invite them to connect on LinkedIn as well. Even if you don’t receive a response from the recruiter, your thank you email will demonstrate professionalism and follow up that can help set you apart from your competition.