What to Expect at a Virtual Job Fair
While virtual job fairs have been around for years, spring 2020 will be the first time that many students have participated in this type of event. Welcome to the virtual job search! You’ll find virtual job fairs are very much like traditional ones, where employers gather to meet with job seekers and discuss employment opportunities. The only difference here is that it’s held virtually on an interactive platform.
Virtual career fairs feel similar to online chats. After you log in, you can choose to “enter” various rooms within the virtual career fair. Each room houses a different employer participating in the career fair. When you enter a room, the employer receives a notification. At that point a representative from the employer will greet you via a chat function.
Others already in the virtual room may be in the midst of a conversation and you are welcome to chime in. You can also opt to chat privately with an employer, where you may ask about open positions, details about the organization and your qualifications. Employers may even want to video chat with you face to face.
Before participating in a virtual job fair, review the tips below:
Update Your Resume
Remember that your resume should be clean, concise and up to date. Have a digital copy ready to submit online to recruiters and hiring managers. Make sure to have your resume in PDF form to avoid any digital re-formatting issue.
Research Companies
Prior to the Virtual Career Fair, access the list of employers and pick five companies that interest you most and another five that may be a second tier interest. Research these companies thoroughly and effectively through resources in addition to company websites. Use online newspapers, business journals, LinkedIn, and social media. This will help guide your inquiries and allow you to highlight your related skills.
Practice Your Pitch
How will you introduce yourself? Why are you interested in the company? What types of positions are you seeking? How is your previous work experience relevant? What do you plan on asking the representatives at the virtual career fair?
Dress Appropriately
Even though you will not in person meeting an employers, dress appropriately, and look well groomed for a virtual fair, you may be asked to video interview face to face.
Use Clear, Professional Communication
Being a virtual career fair, much of your communication will be done through written interactions in the chat function of the platform. To make a great first impression, you’ll want to demonstrate articulate written communication.
Attend From a Distraction-free Environment
In addition to your professional attire, you will also want to plan out where you’ll be attending the virtual career fair from. A quiet location is ideal—and camera capabilities mean that you’ll want to ensure it’s distraction-free for employers.
Make Sure Your Technology Is Ready To Go
You’ll want to make sure your device is capable of supporting you in the virtual career fair. While it is definitely preferable to have camera capabilities in case an employer would like to speak with you face to face, you don’t necessarily have to have a device with a camera.
Ask About Next Steps & Send Thank You Notes
As your chat or face to face interview concludes be sure to ask the recruiter about next steps you are expected to take. Do they want you to apply on their website? Should you email your resume?
Send thank you emails to all individuals that you made contact with and thank them for their time.
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