Job Fairs 101: 5 Job Fair Tips for Employers

There are no hidden agendas at job fairs – both employers and employees are looking to make a connection. When you're surrounded by a crowd of potentially great candidates and your competitors are vying for prospects, knowing how to recruit properly at a job fair can make all the difference. 

Here are five job fair tips for employers to help attract and hire the best candidates on the market.

How to Prepare for a Job Fair As an Employer

Career fair best practices for employers aren't just about sending engaging members from your team to charm candidates. The more you prepare, the more successful you'll be in recruiting at a job fair.

Get Your Materials in Order

Your materials help create positive first impressions with potential candidates. Name tags, business cards, contact forms, brochures highlighting your benefits and unique workplace culture – everything your team needs should be repeatedly reviewed and ready well in advance. These materials not only help keep you in mind after the job fair is over, but they also support your employer brand. 

Prepare Questions

Your team will be briefly interviewing a slew of potential candidates. These aren't the in-depth interviews you hold in your office – they're introductions to help determine who to contact afterward. Prepare questions ahead of time that will quickly help you select candidates that have what you need, and then you can move forward with a full interview.

Get the Word Out

Before the job fair, many candidates are already online researching companies they want to work for. Advertise on social media so that ambitious candidates who are watching your company know there's an opportunity to pursue employment with you.

5 Job Fair Tips for Employers

At a time when the job market is in flux for both employees and employers, job fairs are crucial to ensuring that you have a large pool of suitable candidates to keep your business running smoothly during these uncertain times. Here's how to recruit at a job fair to maximize your success.

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1. Set Goals

Your team should be on the same page when it comes to the following:

• Desired skills
• Ideal employee traits
• Available positions
• How many employees you're seeking

Setting recruitment goals will keep your representative team focused in the right direction and help them find the right talent.

2. Arrive Early

One of the top job fair best practices is to arrive early. If a recruit arrives at the event's opening and you're still setting up or getting organized, you're not making a great impression. However, if you're prepared to go the second the doors open, you'll stand out, showing candidates that your company is a place that gets things done and has the potential for growth.

3. Take Notes

You'll be meeting an untold amount of potential recruits, and though some will stand out and remain in your memory, many others will require a memory jog. You don't want to forget someone who might make a great hire, so taking notes will help you remember who to contact for a more in-depth interview.

4. Limit Time During Interviews

Job fairs are similar to speed dating – you're not determining anything for the long term, just gauging interest levels. Ensure that you can see as many candidates as possible by limiting your time with each recruit. This isn't rude – in fact, it's quite respectful and practical. Job fair best practices for both employers and recruits mean creating as many opportunities as possible – limiting interview times ensures that's possible for everyone.

5. Follow Up

Recruits are meeting a lot of people at job fairs, and they may not always be sure who is genuinely interested in them. You don't want to be ghosted by a potentially great employee, so following up a few days after the job fair will let great candidates know that you're truly interested. Don't wait too long, as employees are looking for a job now and could already be setting up interviews at other companies.

Now that you know how to recruit at a job fair, check out our resource center for useful information on interviewing, hiring, and retaining excellent talent that will grow your company throughout the years.