Job Fair Tips For Pittsburgh Area Company Recruiters

We have been holding job fairs in the Pittsburgh area now for over 6 years and we’re still amazed at how many employers show up completely unprepared to take advantage of this opportunity for face time with potential candidates.
Just as jobseekers can greatly effect the success they get from a job fair by following the tips listed below, so too can recruiters. Consistently, the companies and recruiters who tell us after an event they did not receive value from a job fair are the ones who sat stone faced behind their table while job seekers streamed by. Don’t be afraid to stand in FRONT of your table. Smile and shake hands. Make eye contact. Remember, you are representing your company to job seekers. The most qualified candidates are going to be choosier about whom they speak with. Be active around your table and engage them!
With that said, job seekers tend to go to job fairs to speak with specific companies they see ahead of time will be there. If you plan on attending a job fair, let potential candidates know ahead of time you will be there. Do not rely solely on the group ad run for a job fair to do this. A job fair is most effective if done as part of a process. Not as a single event. Do your own marketing ahead of time to let job seekers know you will be there. Otherwise, you will end up only speaking to candidates who came to the job fair to speak to someone else! Finally, have a plan in place to set up interviews after the job fair is over. Do not just rely on handing out collateral and hope good candidates will call you later. Show them they are important to you and the better ones will respond.
As a recruiter, following these tips will greatly enhance your job fair experience. We speak today about ROI, return on investment. Our experience has shown that the companies that do not like to do job fairs based on poor past experiences are they ones who failed the most to properly engage job seekers and follow these tips. Doing so will ultimately makes your jobs easier by increasing your likelihood of finding more qualified candidates resulting in less turnover down the road!