Stand out from the rest and shine away at your next job fair
It is no secret to anyone that attending job fairs seems like a pretty good idea when looking for a job. One of our talents knows that very well. He also knows that if you do not come prepared, the outcome of the job fair will be quite limited. As so, he asked us at ask@talentree.be how he should prepare for the next job fair in order to shine. And we thought, “well, isn’t this a relevant question?”, so here we are with a dedicated blog post about how to shine at a job fair.
Let us also stress that there are other end-goals for attending job fairs than landing your dream job. Sure, that will be the nicest one, but networking is also about getting contact information and knowing the right people, which can benefit you in many ways.
The way we see it, there are 10 ultimate steps you need to take in order to leave the recruiters in awe.
Without further ado, here you have them:
- Do thorough research – look up the companies attending the job fair
You want to make sure that you know exactly what companies will be present at the job fair. When you’ve seen the overview, make sure to get a little investigative! Look up the companies you find interesting on their website, social media channels and LinkedIn. It is always a win if you can show the recruiters at the fair that you know something about their company. Could be that you had a look at their values, vision and mission or maybe you checked out recent projects they are working on. Any knowledge will be sure to impress the recruiters!
- Practice your pitch
It is pivotal that you know how to sell yourself and make a great impression – this is where your on-point pitch comes in! Take a look at our blog post on practicing your pitch and do not miss out on any chance to do so. We did a blog post on upcoming events for jobseekers that will allow you to practice away during November – check that one out as well. A job fair can be quite busy and vibrant, so do not make your pitch longer than a minute. Make sure to really capture the recruiters’ attention!
- Bring your CV and make sure it is completely up-to-date and shining
Another way to show all the recruiters at the job fair that you have this completely under control is by bringing an up-to-date all-shining CV to hand out. After delivering your awesome pitch and networking for a while with the recruiters, you can kindly pass on your CV to them. It is important to bring at least 20 copies of your CV, so you have plenty to hand out to all the interesting people you connect with!
- Bring all the small essentials
One thing you for sure don’t want to battle with when being at a job fair is needing all the small essentials. Make sure to bring a notebook and a pen to take notes on anything you find relevant and interesting for your job searching. It is also a good idea to get a bit creative and make your own name tag in case they do not hand them out at the entrance. This will also show everyone that you went that extra mile and did not come there to play.
- Plan to approach an employer
There might not be a job opening suitable for you, but it is never a bad idea to do some thorough networking. Maybe you will have the chance of looking up the professionals of the job fair on LinkedIn – if yes, do so. It does not count as stalking when it is for professional reasons! It will ensure that you know who you approach, and it might give you some valuable insights on the company that you cannot find elsewhere. Hint, hint… you might need the person’s LinkedIn afterwards as well…
- Make your own business card
This one is a winner. And it will surely make you stand out from the rest. There are plenty of free programmes that allow you to make your own business card. At Talentree, we are fans of Canva. It shows the recruiters that you are willing to go that extra mile and it makes it easy for them to contact you afterwards.
- Dress like you would going to an interview.
Make sure not to look sloppy. By dressing like you would for an interview, you show motivation and you will feel it on your confidence. If you are a little in doubt about the Belgian standards for professional wear, glance down our blog article on the matter.
- Practice interviewing.
You might think: “really? All that work for a job fair?” Truth is, that the recruiters attending the job fairs are constantly screening all the candidates approaching them. There is no reason not to have your interview game on point when attending the job fairs, as many conversations can be seen as a short version of a job interview. Practice in front of the mirror, with your partner, your dog, or give us a call if you need feedback and a pep-talk. You can take a look at our blog post on the STAR-method, which is the recruiters’ preferred method of building up an interview and it is good for you to exemplify your competences.
- Ask your relevant questions to the recruiters.
Preparing some relevant questions for the recruiters is key. It shows ultimate interest. You might want to prepare questions about the current projects they are enrolled in, about their values, a specific vacancy or their hiring process. Whatever you find relevant to know is good enough. You can also make the questions more personal and ask the recruiter questions about how he/she likes working for the specific company.
- Follow up.
Just like with the job interview, you want to make sure to follow up with the people you meet at a job fair. Be sure to collect business cards and take the notes that will allow you to add a personal twist to your follow-up. It is here that their LinkedIn profiles may come in handy again. If you are in doubt about how to contact a professional on LinkedIn, we got you! Read our blog post on the matter, and you will be good to go!
Good luck to all talents who are now ready to conquer the Belgian job fairs! With these tips and tricks, we are sure you will blow away the recruiters and take important steps towards landing your dream job and building a valuable network.
All the best,
The Talentree Team