by Becky Cole

Going to job fairs is a good thing to do, if you are unemployed or are looking for a new job. Foremost, they can be a good way to network and to practice your interviewing skills. Secondly, they can be a good indicator of the types of industries that are currently hiring. For example, if you are interested in a job in retail, but you don’t find many retail companies at job fairs, it’s likely that there just aren’t a great deal of retail openings in the broader market. In that case, it might be time to think about getting into a new line of work.

Before you go to any job fair, be prepared to talk about yourself and what you can offer to the company. Know what you will accept, what you will not accept and what is negotiable for you. If a job you are interested in requires you to work one evening per week, or work weekends, can you realistically do that? If they ask you what type of job are you interested in, what are you going to tell them? Come up with a better answer than," I will take anything," and fit it into 30 to 60 seconds. If the job fair is busy, you won’t have time to give a long dissertation, but you do have an opportunity to catch their attention.

"Do they really hire from a job fair?" I was asked that question recently by someone who had been to several of them, and still had no results from any of the companies to which she had given her resume. The answer I gave was, "yes they do, but it depends on the employer, and it depends on you."

Avoid the urge to just ask for an application or leave your resume and walk away. Introduce yourself to the person at the table, and start the conversation with something like this, "In my last job I found an accounting error that saved the company $50,000. I used these skills – general ledger, customer service and accounting software. What kind of opportunity does your company have that will allow me to utilize my skills to benefit your company?"

There are some employers who go to job fairs to hire, and will let you know right away what is the next step they want you to take. There are others who go to collect resumes "just in case something comes up," and it is not likely you will hear from them.

So how do you tell the difference? The answer to that question is simple – ask, "do you have openings or are you just collecting resumes at this time?"

Here’s some other questions to ask:

Are you a hiring manager?

Can I have your card for follow up?

How soon are you looking to fill your positions?

Do you have a copy of the job description? If not how can I get a copy?
(Note: if they don’t have a copy of a job description or at least a general description for the positions they have available, chances are good that they are just collecting resumes, and don’t really have any openings)

What happens with my resume (or application) once you get back to the office?

What is the next step in your hiring process?

How long does it take to be notified about coming in for an interview?

Got a job fair success story? One that didn’t work so well? Let me know.

Becky Cole is a consultant for non-profit organizations specializing in capacity building for both individuals and corporations throughout the Twin Cities.  She has an Education Specialist Degree from Indiana University. Becky Cole can be reached at: bcole@employmentnewsmn.com