Josh TolanOh, job fairs. Setting up the perfect, eye-catching booth, preparing your winning pitch, and fighting for the attention of job seekers. Events like this are great to attract new talent, network, and promote your business, but you have to do them right if you want to reap the rewards.
So how do you make your business stand out amongst the rest? These hiring experts shared their insight on making your company the best at the fair. Here’s how:
1. Be your brand — and give it to others.
Promotional products and signage have been key for us in truly standing out in a “sea of companies“ at career fairs. Our HometownOpportunity tablecover and accompanying pop-up banner allow us to showcase our name, logo, brand and tagline to attract people to our spot and ask questions about who we are and what we do.
Once we have their interest, promotional items such as drawstring bags, cups, and koozies that bear our logo ensure that job seekers leave with something that will remind them to continuously come back to our website where our many local companies‘ jobs are being posted daily.
These items have proven to be effective as we witness a spike in traffic on our website for several days following career fairs. Since we are representing our local companies at these fairs, they typically see a spike in responses to the job postings they’ve submitted on our website. The increased exposure, recognition, and response has benefited everyone involved.
Jared Ebbing, Director, Mercer County Economic Development Agency
2. Be approachable.
The best way to make your business stand out at a job fair is to be attractive — from your booth to how you look personally. The attendees should know right away who you are, what you do, and for what positions you are hiring. This way, you get the most qualified applicants right away.
Your materials should be alluring and informative. Your appearance should be professional — make yourself approachable. Don’t sit behind your booth on your laptop or cell phone. Smile and be friendly and inviting. If someone approaches while you are in conversation with someone else, welcome the other person in and talk with them both. Overall, make your booth attractive with clear a beautiful signage and be approachable and friendly. Always remember to smile — it’s contagious.
Deany Dormer, Owner and Event Manager, Executive Events
3. Pay to get noticed.
Put yourself in the shoes of those attending the job fair — what do you see when you first walk in?
As a professional promoting your business, if you have the first stand people see as they walk into the event, or the most prestigious space, it helps you to look like the best participant. You want to be the first stand job seekers see walking in and the last walking out — that way, your chances of connecting with the most people are greater.
James Rice, Head of Digital Marketing, WikiJob
4. Let your candidate base know you’ll be there.
What better way to ensure visitors to your stand than to let them know where you will be and when?
Try contacting your current candidate base and let them know you will be there. Invite them to stop by; just because they were not a fit for one job does not mean that they are not a good fit for another that may be available. This will let candidates know they haven’t been forgotten and may leave a better impression of the company.
Jen Teague, Staffing and Onboarding Coach, Other Options Funding Finders, LLC
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What are some other ways to make your business stand out at job fairs?
Spark Hire
