In today's electronic age, it's easy to conduct your job search, fill out applications and transmit your résumé online, but competing with thousands of other applicants on a computer screen won't necessarily get you in the door for an interview.
Savvy applicants know how to make the best use of a low-tech and much older job-search tool: the job fair.
 LEITA COWART/Special |
| Stephanye Hicks (left) talks about nursing jobs with LouAnne Cutler of United Rehab at the ajcjobs Nursing and Allied Health Care Career Fair at Cobb Galleria Centre on Tuesday. Behind them, Everest Institute students Shanika Hay (in white) and Joan Hinds talk with Terry Thomas, also with United Rehab. |
 LEITA COWART/Special |
| Jonathan Bellamy, regional staffing consultant for Kaiser Permanente Georgia, looks over a stack of résumés. Bellamy said career fairs offer a chance for recruiters to meet a diverse range of job-seekers. |
 LEITA COWART/Special |
| WellStar recruiter Ronald Watson talks with job-seekers Sonny Lee (left) and Choi Africano at the ajcjobs Nursing and Allied Health Care Career Fair on Tuesday. |
"Now that everything is electronic, it's more important than ever to differentiate yourself with face-to-face connections," said Tory Johnson, founder and CEO of Women for Hire, whose core business is producing high-caliber career expos to connect women with employers around the country.
"Employers must cut through the clutter [online] to brand themselves effectively. Job-seekers want to know more about a company than what is written on the Web site. At a job fair, the scrutiny goes both ways; both sides want to invest the time and effort into knowing what they might be buying into," she said. "Companies want to get an impression of a candidate. Applicants want to be able to talk to a real person and get the name of a decision-maker. You can do that at a career expo."
Women for Hire will hold an Atlanta expo on Oct. 11 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Georgia Tech has held job fairs for its students and alumni for at least 25 years. This year's fall event was the largest in the university's history, with 440 national and international companies participating in the two-day job fair and 2,700 students attending each day.
"We sold out the booth space in three weeks," said Ralph Mobley, director of career services at Georgia Tech. "When the job market gets bad, people say that we'll never have job fairs again, but as soon as the market improves, they come right back.
"People want to be able to do real interviews. They want the one-on-one interaction. Job fairs are very effective here, and our students look forward to them."
For job applicants, a job fair is like shopping for new positions in a mall of possibilities. In a short time, they can meet many employers, learn about positions, ask questions and drop off résumés. A connection may lead to an impromptu interview or a future meeting. Many recruiters use space at Georgia Tech's career center afterward to interview promising applicants, and some job offers do come from those interviews.
For companies, a job fair is like a casting call, during which they get to meet many candidates in a short time, according to Jonathan Bellamy, regional staffing consultant for Kaiser Permanente Georgia.
"We attend fairs often, because we know we will see a plethora of candidates from different backgrounds, with different skills, and we can gather résumés to help us create our talent pool. We are committed to having a work force that reflects the diversity of the communities that we serve," Bellamy said.
The company was a sponsor last week for the large ajcjobs Nursing and Allied Health Care Career Fair. It also staffs booths at fairs hosted by the National Association of Asian American Professionals and 100 Black Men organizations, the National College Spring Break Fair and other specialty fairs.
"Job fairs offer us another way to market ourselves and recruit the people we need, both immediately and in the future," Bellamy said.
He often looks for candidates for hard-to-fill jobs at a fair, because he knows that he'll have a chance to network with representatives from other companies, his peers in the industry, who may know of good leads.
It's also a chance to educate applicants about the hiring process at Kaiser.
"Someone always says that they've applied repeatedly but never gotten a call. We explain that all jobs are posted internally, because we pride ourselves on internal advancement, and the job may have been filled. We can also show qualified applicants how to better match their skills to the job requirements to get noticed," he said.
There's no time for in-depth interviews, but he'll call promising candidates quickly.
So how do you become that promising candidate in a sea of hopefuls?
"Students always ask us, how can they stand out?" Mobley said. "We tell them to be intelligent and realize that good planning is even more important than attending."
Here's how to make the most of a career fair.
Choose an appropriate event.
Job fairs are held by colleges and universities, professional organizations, state departments of labor and other groups. Most are geared to entry-level and midlevel positions. Search online and in the newspaper for events in your field.
"Choose a fair with a good reputation and for the quality of its employers," Johnson said. "For career-changers, a job fair can be a place to get a sense of an industry, pick up materials and make contacts that will help them analyze their options later."
Research before you go.
Go online to see what companies will be attending. Read company Web sites to learn more about their businesses and hiring needs.
"You won't have time to talk with everyone, so you want to create a target list of companies that fit your search," Mobley said. "Learn about each company on your target list, so that you can ask intelligent questions of the recruiters. You may want to tailor your résumé to specific companies or job descriptions."
Create a good résumé.
"All good candidates have good résumés. There's no excuse for a bad résumé these days. There are too many resources out there to help a candidate write an effective one," Bellamy said. "If the job listing has certain requirements — such as a degree, certification or management experience — why not put that at the top in a skills profile?"
Have plenty of copies of your résumé, but don't be offended if you're asked to post it online. For many companies, that's standard practice.
Get contact information and send an electronic version or follow other company procedures.
Present yourself well.
"A good presentation is what makes a candidate memorable. That includes how they approach me, how they are dressed, their résumé, questions [they ask] and how they market themselves," Bellamy said.
Dress in business attire, and "leave the baggage and bitterness behind," Johnson said. "Nobody needs to know that your search has been frustrating or you're having trouble paying the rent. That attitude will kill your chances of making a good impression. Be positive and energized."
Smile, shake hands firmly and maintain eye contact.
Have your elevator speech ready.
"When the recruiter asks why you're here, be ready with a 30-second to minute speech that introduces yourself, highlights your experience and talents, [and] explains your interest in the company and why you think your skills would be an asset," Mobley said.
Ask questions that show you're familiar with the company and its products or services. Avoid negative topics, such as dropping stock prices. Ask for more details about jobs that are posted online or if there are other positions available.
"The whole focal point of a career fair is to make a good first impression so that a recruiter will want to call you for an interview," Mobley said.
Remember that employers are looking for hard and soft skills, Johnson said. "They must see that you have the talent, knowledge and experience to do the job, but also that you'll be a good fit for their culture."
You have about three to five minutes to convey your professionalism, communication skills, qualifications and enthusiasm. Don't monopolize a recruiter's time.
Get contact information.
"If you go to a job fair and don't get the business card or contact information of recruiters, you're making a huge mistake," Mobley said.
The point is that now you know someone in the company. That's an advantage over people who only apply online.
Network.
After visiting your targeted companies, stop by other booths.
"You should leave no stone unturned, because you never know what will lead to something," Bellamy said.
Talk with other candidates, too.
"Some very powerful connections are made at our fairs between participants," Johnson said. "Very diverse women exchange ideas, information and inspiration. Jobs often come from that."
Follow through.
"That night or the next day, send a thank-you letter to the recruiter and attach a copy of your résumé," Mobley said. "Remind him of your meeting, reiterate your interest in the position or company, and thank him for his time. That will make you much more memorable as a candidate."
You also can e-mail or call to thank someone.
"Follow-up is key," Bellamy said. "That's going to get much better results than someone who goes home and crosses his fingers. Finding a job is a job. If you're willing to put in the time, you'll find the work."