Having attended numerous Career Fairs as both a Recruiter and as a Career Center Professional, I have witnessed some of the best and some of the worst Employer Booths out there. Whether you are a first-time participant or a returning pro, here are 5 things you can do to stand out.
- An eye-catching booth in the right location is critical. Booths at the entrance of the event and at the end of the front aisle are more desirable, but also cost the most. If that is not an option for your company, study the floor plan and choose a booth one or two spots away from these popular locations. I have seen students who are waiting in long lines for popular employers “save a spot” for a fellow student while he or she jumps out to check out another nearby employer who could be you!
- Your booth should be easy to read, uncluttered and approachable. Boldly display positions you’re hiring for and keep the hand-outs on your table to a minimum. Those fancy brochures your company pays a lot of money for are likely to end up in the trash. Instead, consider displaying a large QR code that takes students to information virtually. As for give-a-ways, don’t waste your money on pens or earbuds.
- Consider a short, rolling video on a large TV and not an iPad. This will allow you to showcase your culture in a media that stands out.
- Decide ahead of time if you are going to accept resumes during the fair. Most students spent a lot of time preparing their resume and are eager to hand them to an employer. I understand you may not want to bring home a stack of resumes, so I recommend one of two things. Either be prepared to scan the resume then and there, or have the school ship the resumes back to you. There is nothing worse when a recruiter tells a student to “apply on our website.” What they hear is you don’t want to be bothered, and word-of-mouth of how the student feels they were treated spreads fast.
- Don’t sit! Most career fair booths have chairs behind the table for recruiters, but you should never sit. ALWAYS stand in front of your table and invite students in. Even if it means you have to wear comfortable shoes and suck it up.
Lastly, don’t leave early. This sends a wrong message to both students and the school, which is never a good move.
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