Editor’s note: This article was first published in April 2012, during Spain’s economic crisis. The advice about handing in printed CVs at stands reflects job-fair practice at the time.
They’re sold as the best way to find candidates, from the company’s side, or the best job offers, from the candidate’s point of view. They are undeniably a gateway to employment, held every year with more or fewer resources. But in normal times, they come with a sense of urgency that becomes a drawback, since any candidate is only available on the job market for a limited time.
Are current circumstances the best time to showcase our company at a job fair? That will depend on the company’s plans for the future. As a candidate, is this the best time to leave my CV at a job fair? Yes: at the very least, the participating companies will look at your application with interest. The outcome is another matter.
The truth is that when a job fair is advertised in your city, both companies and candidates should think about how to approach the event, or whether to turn down the invitation, depending on the point of view…
…of the candidate
Keep in mind the rules for presenting a CV to a company. Photocopies won’t do, because hundreds of similar candidates will turn up. Tailor your cover letter and CV, at least for the companies whose team you’re most keen to join. Be different and stand out from the other options they have.
Prioritize the companies you’re most interested in. Prepare a list of questions: who is in charge of HR at the company, when they’ll be looking for candidates, and what professional profile they want. This is the moment to make contact with them; perhaps you can ask for a later appointment to present your application in person. Don’t waste your chances by rushing.
Find out whether they’re going to run selection processes. If not, don’t hand in your CV: it will be out of date by the time they look for candidates.
Take care of your appearance when you visit the fair. Bear in mind that at the companies you approach, the contact people may be the ones who end up handling your selection, and a picture is always worth a thousand words.
Notice which companies make a bigger effort at the fair: those that present a better image and set themselves apart from the rest. These will be larger companies that may have more job opportunities. Make your visit to them personal.
Find out which companies may be less attractive to candidates. They’ll receive fewer CVs, and yours could stand out among a small number. Be careful if the company you’re approaching gets lots of candidates: you’ll need to be outstanding for them to notice you among all the applications.
…of the company
A job fair is a shop window for your company in front of potential candidates. Since you’ll be picking the best of what’s on offer, you’ll want everyone to come away with the best impression of your company. Investing in a job fair conveys seriousness and prestige: a company that values its employees as its greatest asset and looks after them from the moment it starts searching for them.
If you’re not going to grow your workforce in the coming months, don’t waste opportunities. Candidates will reach you through other channels, and receiving them en masse at a fair doesn’t help you; it gives a bad image of your company to the candidates who are waiting to be called.
Reply, for better or worse, to every candidate who left you their details thinking you were their best option in their job search. They put their trust in your company. Don’t let them down.
Keep in mind that if you attend a fair, candidate selection must be quick and agile. The applications you’ve received have also been handed in to many other companies, and others may get in first and take your best option.
If you’re not going to hire soon, the CVs may fall out of date as candidates take further training or other activities. By the time you look for them, they’ve either found a job or done other things that might interest you but that aren’t in the documents they gave you.
Weigh up costs against effectiveness. You’ll have to design a stand and make your space stand out. How many candidates are you looking for to make the cost worthwhile?
Look into the other companies taking part in the fair you’ve been invited to. Look for synergies and differences that give you a chance of success.
Featured image: Silverije, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
