The Importance of Job Fairs

I have had many a client ask over the years if attending a job fair is worthwhile.  My answer is absolutely YES.  Don’t get me wrong, you often won’t get a new job as a direct result of attending a job fair, though that certainly does happen.  More often you get great networking contacts (that lead to a new job), find out the particular hiring managers and recruiters for your position within a company, discover new organizations you didn’t realize existed, and learn of a variety of job openings through discussions with other attendees.

So, get your resume ready for prime time, take many “nice” copies of your resume and cover letter on stationery (no copies of copies with scratched out info), dress like you would for an interview (after all many of the companies attending will give you a mini-interview at their booth), if you currently have a job make sure your employer isn’t attending, research the different organizations attending, and spend time at each table (you never know who the recruiter knows that might need your services – it’s great networking). 

Look up job fairs on Google in your area/city, and start using these wonderful opportunities to your advantage.  To your job search success!