How To Convert Job Fairs Into Interviews
5 Points of “Job Fair Philosophy” & What To Do Before/During/After a Job Fair
[Author’s photograph of a job fair in Shanghai.]
Let’s talk about job fair strategy and converting job fairs to interviews. *A lot* of this content is what any job seeker should try to shoot for domestic and international students alike.
So let’s jump into what to do and you may find that if you do these things you’ll be getting interviews through the job fair right away.
The Five Points of Job Fair Philosophy
So in terms of job fair philosophy, there are five items.
The first thing is to treat the recruiter as a person. Make the recruiter feel like you're talking to THEM - not treating them just as a “stepping stone” to a job.
Second, recruiters hire to solve their problem, not your problem. Companies want to grow and be more profitable.
Their problem or challenge is the thing “in the middle” between here and there, and it’s the reason they are hiring. So, tell the recruiter how your training in analytics or finance whatever you study can help them address that thing in the middle.
Examples of how you helped another company are good. Researching in advance their problem or challenge is good.
Third, use the power of focus to planning out before your attendance.
For example, do you want to do data analytics? OK, great, what kind of analytics? There are about 10 flavors of analytics (cost, marketing, growth). And then, for what industry? For consumer products? For tech companies? Try to be as specific as possible and then pursue companies at the fair reflecting that focus.
Next, prioritize your time. The fair will last maybe just two hours. Of that, you might spend 30 or more minutes just standing in lines and 3-5 minutes with an individual recruiter. So what is your plan to meet which companies and in what order? If the event is online, the recruiter chat schedule will book up quickly. Know which “rooms” you want to visit and get your name on the recruiter’s chat schedule based on your priority.
Lastly, follow up and get into conversation after the event. Handing your resume to a recruiter or applying online – these activities are not getting into a conversation.
We want to develop a conversation and a relationship so that we can show our interest and move to the next steps of the process. The truth is, many of the firms are there just for branding. You’ll need to dig deeper than attend the fair.
The Offer Acquisition Process
Let’s visit briefly the offer acquisition process:
Job Offer
We know that we want the job offer and that before then there is an interview. But then before that, no one seems to really understand how to get interviews consistently. Prior to the offer, we must obtain an….
Interview
What has to happen is that we have to get into a conversation with the firm. Getting into conversation with professionals in your target firm is what matters. Let’s just assume for a moment that there is no possibility of sponsorship, there is still the possibility of conversation, mentorship, and even referrals. To get an interview, you must be able to get into...
Conversation
Now as you can guess, face-to-face networking with the people in your target company counts as being in conversation with a firm. That’s why it’s important that we set up....
Face-to-face Networking Meeting
Just by attending and dropping some resumes, the job fair is not going to automatically put you into a conversation. Use the job fair as a starting point to set up networking meetings.
Job Fair
Make the job fair attendance turn into several conversations. These could be held before the job fair or after. Until you see that this is possible, attendance at a job fair is going to be confusing for you, because you’re expecting something to happen – an interview opportunity - that generally won’t - until we start thinking about this in terms of conversations that can be generated from your additional outreach before and after job fairs.
Job Fair Tips for Meeting A Recruiter
Now let’s address the flow of the chat with the recruiter. The whole thing should go a little like this:
- Smile, shake hands and introduce yourself. Show the person you care a little bit about them and that you are not freaked out.
If you think you will be, practice this step before the event. Some recruiters may be under a lot of pressure – they may check their watch, or look serious right away.
Don’t let that disturb your smile and your positive energy. Remember, you are the product. Make that product professional and pleasant. - Talk about them (not you). Convey *why* you think their firm is the better/bigger/faster/smarter one and support that by a concrete example.
Bring up an article you read or, even better, drop names - mention another employee you networked with and the conversation you had – and connect that with your interest in the firm – most candidates will not have done that. - Ask questions and hold a conversation. What do they love most about their role? What qualities are they looking for in a good candidate?
You’ll either develop into a longer chat or for various reasons, the recruiter may cut the conversation short. But, before you shake hands, smile, and leave, do these next things: - Ask about the next steps in the process. Confirm the best way to apply and their timeline for interviewing.
If they ask for it, hand them your resume. If they don’t ask for it. You can ask them, “Are you accepting resumes?” That’s better than just pushing your resume onto them. - Before you leave, ask if you can exchange business cards. Use the word “exchange” to emphasize that you are not asking them for something.
You’ll use that information later to personally thank them and develop the conversation further. - Lastly, thank them for their time one last time and shake hands goodbye with a smile.
If this is to occur in the context of an online job fair, you’ll need to rely more heavily on the follow-up you do after the fair, especially if there is no 1x1 time together. Get the representative’s full name and plan to reach out on LinkedIn and over email, reintroducing yourself as the person who attended the job fair.
Starting a Conversation (GOOD & BAD Examples)
So let’s then talk about “the recruiter as a human being.”
First, we want to smile, extend our hands and offer to shake theirs. Seems simple enough, right? Then begin the conversation.
A bad example would be (no personality): “Hello, thanks for speaking with me. Can you tell me more about the XYZ role you are recruiting for now?”
This is treating the person like they are a robot.
Another bad example (boring) : "Hi I'm <name>, I'm a <class year> in <major> with an interest in pursuing a <internship, coop, full time, etc>. I have done <experiences> and feel that I would be a great fit for <company, job listing if you did your research>".
A good example would be: "How are you? (They'll say "Good and you?“)
Then answer the question honestly with something like "Not too bad – I got up early and got my workout in, finished my homework, and even got caught up on my favorite TV show."
Then talk to them about how you would like to solve their problem as they define it.
OR
“Not too bad – I got up early today and took care of some school work, have been looking forward to having a chance to meet you. Recently I read that you are <a cool launching thing>/<doing a cool thing>, and I’m really interested in <the challenge that the company has to grow>.”
Then talk to them about your interest in solving their problem, maybe some examples of how you helped address that problem before, ask how they enjoy working at the firm, and then ask them about the next steps in the process.
“This level of detail almost seems like a joke. But it makes all the difference.”
Before, During, and After The Job Fair
BEFORE THE JOB FAIR
Dress code. Often for job fairs, there’s a dress code attire. Make sure you check that before you attend and be prepared that you’re dressed appropriately. Do you have a job fair that day and it is business attire? Great, dress in business attire in the morning so you don’t have to go back and change.
Have printed resumes. Have a few copies of your resume on hand for sure, preferably in a professional portfolio pad. Not necessary but you can invest in a resume paper too. It’s always nice to go above and beyond!
Research the company beforehand. At least know the background and if categorized, check if they have openings for the position you're looking for.
Prioritize. Know the layout of the space. Then make a plan.
DURING THE JOB FAIR
Show up early. Be one of the first. Even if that means waiting in line for 20 minutes. And if you can access the room of the event, that’s when the recruiters may still be setting. If you are allowed to access the space early. Take advantage of that. Go in – ask if you can help them set up.
Visit a company low or in the middle of your list to warm up. This is a warmup to get comfortable. You can ask them “how are you” and start with a general inquiry about their trip to the fair, how their day has gone. If it is an alumni, I welcome them back. Give your pitch and sell your relevant skills. You can ask if they would like my resume to them before my pitch but this varies on how the conversation goes. Just be sure to exchange information and ask them about the next steps.
Go through your list of target companies in the order of priority. That way you’ll be less nervous for the companies that matter to you. If you feel like you want to warm up, you can schedule a morning coffee chat with a target employer even before the fair. If you don’t have time to set that up, don’t sweat it.
Bring an iPad with some of the PowerPoint decks, data dashboards, or graphics you created just in case it comes up in the conversation, or, if you want to bring it up. Check if you need to remove names or other info so it’s not a problem to share that information.
Always smile when you're talking and listen when the company representative is speaking —nobody likes getting cut off by somebody who is too eager to talk about themselves. Do pay attention to their body language! That’s the best key for knowing how long the conversation should go on. If the conversation goes short, that’s ok, try to cycle through to the end and ask to exchange cards and about the next steps in the process. Then you know the timeline and have their information.
Conversations shouldn't be either too casual or too formal, and topics should be light but still interesting and engaging.
If your job fair is virtual and you’re limited in terms of opportunities to speak, take screenshots during the event so you can then use that information to follow up with them over email and LinkedIn.
AFTER THE JOB FAIR
You will likely have a collection of business cards or names. I would send a follow-up email within 24-48 hours to whoever you spoke with.
The general format is to refer to the fair you were at, thank them for their time, remind them what interests you about the firm.
Send a request to connect with them on LinkedIn. You’ve met them in person! That’s a lot more than most people do before requesting to connect on LinkedIn.
Once connected on LinkedIn, then thank them for that connection and let them know you will take the conversation to email. Then your follow-ups with that person will continue via email.
If you do not hear back about the next steps within 7 business days, follow up about the next steps of the application. This can be a tough one because we want to wait and hope the chance to interview just knocks on our door, but in this era that’s not the case.
If you haven’t yet done so, start to network and post new applications. Here, I mean network with people in that same company and network with people in other companies matching your focus.
Now that you’ve met someone at a job fair, in your subsequent messaging with the company DO mention who you met. This type of networking should continue with a target company up until you get called for an interview.
Are you already in their interview process? People who are scheduled to interview you won’t generally first meet you for a coffee chat outside of that process, once it has started.
Conclusion
To wrap this blog up, remember:
- Research the firms
- Identify your targets
- Drive forward with networking and following up
Take the job fair conversation to email and then to a coffee chat. This will not work with everyone, but you only need a small fraction to work. Remember, you are the product and you are the one selling it. People are going to appreciate your effort, even if they do not show it.
[Even if your goal is to attend a career fair back home, use the career fairs you have now in the US to hone your skills]
