Blog Post: Using Job Fairs to the Fullest

I’d like to let you know about our upcoming class on Finding a Job in Difficult Times.  Due to the overwhelming response, we are offering our popular class for job seekers on Monday, February 2, 2009, from 10 AM – 2 PM at the Jobing.com Community Spirit Room, 14^th & Speer, Denver, CO.  We’ll be discussing how to use Jobing.com most effectively, how to work Job Fairs (preparing you for Jobing’s job fair on February 5^th), how to network, find the hidden jobs, write a winning résumé, and interview to get the job.  To register you must send name, current or past title, and cell phone number with REGISTER in the subject line to info@heckersdevgroup.com.  No other email address will register you!  The email address given is an auto-response address which will send you information automatically.  Contact me at the email address at the end of this blog is you have questions, but you still must register at info@heckersdevgroup.com.  This class is for white collar workers only.  We cannot assist administrative assistants, factory workers, laborers, etc.  Those who should register should have titles like “Programmer,” “Analyst,” “Director,” “Manager,” “Engineer,” “Financial services,” “Banker,” “Architect,” “Business development,” “Sales,” “Accounting,” and so on.  In other words, what might be called Management, professional, office workers, technical people, health care professionals, and so on.  Among other things, we’re going to teach people how to get around HR and talk to decision makers…HR people take note.

Job Fairs are a popular way for employers to meet a large number of applicants in person.  We all know another word for “résumé” is often “science fiction.”  And, I’ve found many times as an employer that a great résumé tells me absolutely nothing about the individual.  Often the person with the lighter rez is the one who should be hired.

Job Fairs give you, the applicant, the chance to get past your résumé and actually speak with people who can, at least, pass you on to the next step.

Here are a few tips for handling the Job Fair.

1).  Get there early.  While they shouldn’t do so, (and Jobing has a rule against it) many employers leave early.  So don’t wait until the end of the day to go.

2).  Dress like you’re going to an interview, not a date or hanging out on Saturday.

3).  NO KIDS!  The militant “parent” crowd thinks that rug rats belong everywhere.  They don’t belong here.

4).  Mind your manners.  Be polite and courteous to everyone you meet.  I saw one young job-seeker at a job fair shove aside an older individual.  Then I saw the HR person there see this, frown, and give the kid the boot in a hurry.  I almost cheered.

5).  Don’t wear out your welcome.  Know when they are finished with you and move on.  If they tell you to apply through the web, go ahead and do it, but you’ve probably gotten screened out.

6).  Don’t apply at the Job Fair if you’re management, professional, technical or executive.  Find out who is hiring, then get a warm introduction to the company.  Use the Job Fair for research, not to apply.  HR, who are generally the only people at Job Fairs, really tend to be clueless on technical or management personnel.  Bypass them whenever possible.

7).  Don’t go in a group.  I’ve seen mostly younger folks go as a group and visit every booth as a group.  I know that many of the younger folks don’t like to even go to the restroom alone, but this is one where you should go “solo.”  Sure, carpool there and get together afterwards to compare notes, but visit the booths as an individual, not part of a “friends” crowd.  This really turns employers off.

8).  Have plenty of résumés.  Make sure they’re clean, well written and easy to read.  Don’t try to tell everything in a resume.  Tell the highlights of your career and a chronology of where you’ve worked.

For more tips and tricks on working the February 5^th Jobing.com Career Expo, please come to our class on Monday, February 2^nd.  Information is at the top of this post.

As always, if you have questions, please feel free to write me at jheckers@heckersdevgroup.com or my wife and business partner, Nicole, at nheckers@heckersdevgroup.com.  Please read our other blog at http://employmentskills.blogspot.com.  If you’re an executive, please read our blog at http://executiveexpert.blogspot.com.  Good luck in your search.  Note:  To register for the Job Seekers Class you MUST send full name, current or last title, and cell phone number to info@heckersdevgroup.com.  No other address will register you, and incomplete information will not be registered.