Attracting top talent to your business can be challenging. Hiring events allow employers to quickly connect with several prospective employees. To successfully recruit talent at an event, preparation is key.

Whether this is your first time at a hiring event, or you’ve participated in many, maximize your experience and make the most of your time by following these 10 tips:

Preparing for a Job Fair

• Decide if you will accept resumes at the event. If not, take the time to look at each resume and ask the job seeker questions about education and experience. Give advice if possible. Job seekers are expecting to benefit from attending a job fair. Sending them away empty-handed will make them wonder why you were there.
• An eye-catching booth allows you to stand out and attract potential candidates. Be sure to clarify the size specifications with your event contact before arriving at the venue.
• Have promotional materials printed and available for pick-up. Having your business cards and some promotional materials on hand will help attendees become more familiar with your company and corporate culture.
• Make sure that your representatives are familiar with your open positions and hard-to-fill  career opportunities. Career fairs attract a wide range of people and you never know who will show up at your booth. To make sure your team covers all the key points, consider preparing a sheet of talking points.
• Prepare questions or a brief interview to pre-qualify applicants. Chitchat is great, but the goal of attending a career fair is to find candidates for your jobs.

At the Hiring Event

• Arrive early to give yourself plenty of time to find your space, unload and set up. If you are still setting up when the job seekers arrive, it could appear unprofessional and deter them from talking with you.
• Bring business cards and wear a name tag. Not all job seekers will be a good fit for your company or open positions, but they may use this opportunity to network and gain contacts in your industry.
• Career fairs can be intimidating to job seekers — especially young job seekers — so the goal is to be as inviting as possible. Avoid sitting behind your table. Stand in front of or beside your booth and be sure to smile and say hello to everyone who passes by.

After the event

• Follow up and respond to all inquiries as soon as possible. Finding employment is a serious business for job seekers, so don’t keep them guessing.

— Anthony DeVille, workforce consultant,
Anthony.deville@labor.idaho.gov