Hosting a job fair can be a great way to reach out to an online or local community, especially if you are a startup. But to make sure you not only reach out but also find the best talent for your business, there are a lot of things you need to know before you start – from pitching your company to attendees, through to the logistics. This blog will discuss everything you need to keep in mind to run and organize a job fair.
There are certainly some rights and wrongs you should keep in mind. A good job fair should create a real buzz amongst attendees and give them plenty to think about when they leave! It is also important to know that job fairs are not the same as networking events. Job fairs are designed to find candidates who fit your company’s needs while networking events should be more personal.
A job fair is an event where employers and job seekers meet to discuss employment opportunities. Job fairs can be a great way for employers to find talented employees and for job seekers to learn about new vacancies. They are also a great networking opportunity for both groups once you know how to plan one.
There are many benefits of hosting a job fair, including:
Job fairs can help increase visibility for a company, especially if it is new or not well-known. This can help attract potential employees who may not have heard of the company before.
Job fairs can be a great way to find talented employees. With so many job seekers in one place, employers have a greater chance of finding the right candidate for the job.
Job fairs allow both employers and job seekers to network with each other and establish potential connections.
Job fairs are also an effective way to market a company’s products or services.
“Timing is everything!” They offer an opportunity to make connections with passive candidates ‘just looking’. Finding talent early is a great way to cultivate a relationship and give you an edge over competitors.
There are several things to consider before hosting a successful job fair. Establishing a clear and logical process for organizing the event is essential. Learning how to set up a job fair will be much easier if you follow the process.
First, you need to decide what type of job fair you want to host. There are career fairs, which are typically for students or recent graduates, and hiring fairs, which are for candidates and job seekers of all levels.
Second, you need to consider when would be the ideal time to host the event and suitable locations. The date and location will be based on the type of job fair you are hosting and your target audience.
Third, do your research. Reach out to other local businesses, including those you already have a working relationship with to see if a job fair would be something they would like to participate in. Given the current labor market shortage there’s never been a better time to host a job fair, but there’s no point in hiring a venue unless you’ve established a demand for it.
Fourth, if the local business community is on board, you will need to promote the event. This can be done through your website content, social media, and local newspapers or radio stations.
Finally, make sure you have staff on hand to help. While individual employers represented at the job fair are responsible for their own job booths, it doesn’t look professional if there aren’t enough people on hand to welcome employees, serve refreshments, and help with any general enquiries.
Other things to consider before hosting a job fair:
As the internet increasingly becomes a primary tool for people to find jobs, marketing your job fair online is crucial to attracting potential attendees. Having a website or landing page for your job fair and promoting it through email marketing and social media can help you reach a broader audience and gain more attendees.
When creating your website or landing page, be sure to include important information such as the date and location of the job fair and a list of the employers that will be in attendance. You should also include a form where people can register to attend. Promote the event through Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also use email marketing to reach potential attendees. If you ever need help to get started then you may also consider talking to a marketing advisor to help you establish and manage workflows for email marketing.
By following these tips, you can market your job fair successfully online and reach a larger audience of potential attendees in your industry.
You want to make sure that the venue is located as conveniently as possible for both the employers participating and your target audience attendees. Once you have a list put together, establish whether the venues are large enough to host the event and have plenty of parking. Finally, find out the cost of hosting an event at your preferred venues to see whether they are within budget. Another consideration, for example, is to have an online job fair for those that cannot make it to the event.
If you want to hold a job a job fair, here’s a summary of our tips to help you get started:
Consider the why – Decide who you would like to attract to the event and why hosting it will be of benefit to you.
Reach Out – Make a list of potential exhibitors and recruiters and reach out to them individually.
Choose the Right Size & Location – Choose a location that is accessible and has enough space for your guests.
Plan Early – Send out invitations early and include all the necessary information so they can participate.
Promote – Promote the job fair on social media and through other channels.
Smooth Sailing – Make a checklist, so you can make sure everything runs smoothly on the day of the event!
Job fairs are a great opportunity for employers to connect with potential employees and fill open positions. However, the employers in attendance also have to take care of a few things on the day of the fair to ensure its success.
Employers should have a plan for how they will meet and interact with job seekers. They should also have materials and resources ready, such as job descriptions and applications, and be prepared to receive and answer any questions job seekers may have.
In addition, employers should be aware of their own company’s policies and procedures when recruiting so they can accurately represent the organization to job seekers.
Employers should take the time to follow up with job seekers after the fair to thank them for their interest and acknowledge their resumes. From there, they can let them know the next step in the job hiring process.
Summary
There are key things to remember in order to make your job fair a success. Be sure to establish a demand for it, source a suitable venue, and then promote the event well in advance. This can be done through social media, online listings, and word-of-mouth. Allowing each of the job fair employers to play their part by also promoting the event will make it an even greater success. Finally, prepare a detailed timeline for the day of the job fair and make all exhibitors aware of it. This will help make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible on the day.
Hosting a job fair is a great way to match the right talent with the right company, and there are tools you can find that can further improve your hiring efficiencies.
The recruitment platform Everytalent not only offers virtual career fairs, but also assesses and identifies the skills and competencies of job candidates before matching them with vacancies based on their assessment results. Its 3-step AI-powered process qualifies candidates before they apply for positions. The result? Companies have access to a select pool of talent that meets their needs, saving them both time and money in the hiring process, while jobseekers find the perfect opportunities for their career choice.
