Leave the office, button the suit, suffer traffic, park up, and wait in line to talk with potential employers. It's always been this way with career fairs.
Whether your family obligations keep you at home or you're tied down to other work, virtual career fairs allow you to meet with employers discreetly, whether it's while your children nap or in your car on your break. Virtual career fairs make it easier for job searchers like you to connect with employers.
What Exactly Is a Virtual Career Fair?
A virtual career fair is a video-based event that connects job seekers with companies. Finding a paid internship or a new professional path may be on the menu for those who wish to enhance their skills and income this year. These events bring together established firms that are seeking people precisely like you.
What to Do Before, After, and During a Virtual Career Fair
First and foremost, register! If you don't know when or where these events will be held, contact your school's career center or the hosting firm. Continue reading to learn how to start your new job by networking and interviewing from home.
Find out which companies will be there. The complete list of employers holding sessions may be seen on the virtual fair information page. From there, you may navigate to each employer's Handshake website to learn more about them and read student evaluations. Ensure you sign up for sessions with the employers you want as soon as possible, so you don't miss out.
Investigate the employers you'll be meeting. When you sign up to join a virtual fair session hosted by an employer, do more than look at their Handshake profile. Examine their corporate website and conduct an internet search for recent news stories and other pertinent information.
Make a list of talking points: The employers you meet with are interested in learning more about you! Consider creating an "elevator pitch" about yourself—a brief outline of your history, studies, and professional ambitions.
Prepare your opening statement: Your elevator pitch is crucial. This statement should be concise and focused on the position you want, why you'd be a good match, and how employing you will benefit the firm.
Pre-write some questions: Because the event is a text chat, save time by typing down your questions, which you can quickly cut and paste during the conversation to reduce typing. Inquire about the company's culture, perks, candidate screening, and hiring procedure.
Dress for success: It has been proven that dressing as if you were in a live interview will help you feel and present yourself better since it will help you focus. So put your old Pink Floyd tee in the drawer.
Drop off resumes with a note: If the lines get too lengthy, you may drop off your resume and leave a message for a firm. Make use of this feature and include your elevator pitch in the letter. At the end of the event, all notes and resumes are given to the employers.
Request contact information so that you may follow up: Take advantage of this opportunity to contact a recruiter at the firm. Following up after the event might provide you with further information on their recruiting procedure.
Conclusion
Employers attend career fairs because they are seeking people like you. The fact that they are held virtually makes no difference. With this professional guidance in hand, you'll be able to navigate the uncharted seas of virtual career fairs easily. You never know—it may simply get your foot in the door of a profession you're interested in, or it might even land you the job of your dreams.
UK Careers Fair is the leading provider of career fairs in the United Kingdom. To find exclusive virtual recruiting events near you, get in touch with us today!