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Career Fairs: Do they help?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Career Fairs allow employers to provide exposure and direct access to their company and more importantly an opportunity for you to meet someone who actually works for the company.
At a career fair, you have an opportunity to ask specific questions to company representatives about the company’s culture and employment process. You can also find out tips on how to make yourself available for future opportunities.
While you are sizing up the company, the company is sizing you up. Although no one will admit to this, employers like the idea of sizing up candidates without having to go through all of the formal processes as well.
Attending job fairs that are culture or profession focused are like going to a crawfish boil. You get to taste all of the goods from the same pot.
For example: If the job fair is titled “Nursing and Health Care”, this is beneficial to those who want to be a nurse. Another example is the “Latin American Career Expo”. Companies at this particular fair are specifically looking for individuals with Latin American descent and most likely people who are bilingual.
Career fairs are another avenue that can make your job search productive. Career fairs are often held on weekends, but if not, you may have to ask for some personal time off.
What kind of success rate have you experienced by attending career fairs?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Charlotte Trammell
July 27, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
I am looking for a job in the medical field. I am a Medical assistant for over 15yrs., it seems to me that most hospitals want a CNA,(certified Nursing assistant) in which most hospitals hire. What is the deal with this??? My training was intense in the front and back office skills and patient care. Medical Assistants are usually one step above the CNA’s, am I right??? It has been difficult to find a job in the medical field. I would like the administrative part or the back office. I have also learned that you now need a Bachelor’s degree or an Associate degree just to get into some of the work places. It is getting to the point where maybe I need to reconsider my career and change?? HELP.
By Michael Harrison
July 30, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this
From my experience, I find career fairs a complete waste of time. In 2001, I received my college degree (another waste of time, but I can’t digress here, the article is about job fairs), and the job fairs had people who were sincerely interested in talking about available openings. I even received several calls and several resumes with two resulting in employment. Now, if I zoom forward to 2007, my whole outlook on job fairs have changed. What I’m finding is the same sentence, “Check our website for information.”But, excuse me, Mr and Ms. HR, why are you here?” If I have to another job fair where someone passes me a company list and say check the website, I am going to faint right in front of them—-and, hey, there’s go that job possibility. On July 24, 2006, I sent an e-mail to Peter Hall of Careerboard asking about careerfairs. His company was hosting a careerfair that month. My email is listed below: What’s the “real” purpose of going to job fairs when the majority pass out fancy brochures, give you painted smiles, and direct you to their websites to look up jobs? And these are recruiters and HR people and they can’t even tell you what department is hiring. To me it’s becoming a waste of time. It’s really a money maker for the company hosting the event, and a tax write off for the attending companies.
Can someone give me another point of view or perspective?
As you can expect, Mr. Hall never replied.
Maybe someone else out there has been successful with job fairs, or maybe its the way Atlanta employers do business, or is it simply the old adage, “It is not what you know, it’s who you know.”
The last job fair I went to was in 2006. A church in Decatur held it. A total, complete waste of time. The organizers of the church were more concerned with people completing registration forms than answering our questions about employers. Now, it gets worse. Several companies were not there. Just a “ghost” sitting at a table handing out job hotline numbers. Of course, the companies not there were Dekalb County premier businesses.
I do not plan to go to any job fair this year. I can’t deal with the impersonable form of communcation. I’ve been on these company websites, now I want more. All Human Resources Professional stay home if you can’t provide concise, complete, and concrete information.
Michael Harrison
By P. Maria
August 2, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this
A few months ago I attended a job fair and was told before attending that the companies would be hiring on the spot. I was very cheerful and excited when I arrived, only to be told by these employers that I would have to apply on-line. No - problem, Just to continue keeing my spirits up; I took and wrote down what ever information they had to offer. I applied for all positions that fitted my experiences, I called to follow-up on most and was extremely disappointed. I now feel it’s a big tax write-off for the companies who participates, and thats all it is.
By MBA grad
August 3, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this
I just finished my MBA and attended 4 or 5 career fairs in the spring. The company reps I spoke to answered most of questions with “ummm, don’t know….did you see the website?” When I would answer with “yes, I read it thoroughly and know you have no positions open,” I was met with blank faces and automatic repsonses of “check back online soon.” So, that’s my impression of career fairs: a total waste of time. I did find a couple of people that were actually honest, but it was rare.
By Bold
August 7, 2007 9:46 AM | Link to this
That is sooo funny b/c I’ve been seeing so many positions for Medical Assistants and hardly ANY for CNA’s. Have you tried entering your specialty in a search engine? Getting into the medical field is really difficult…as I’ve learned…and am, unfortunately, still dealing w/.
By PIM
August 7, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this
I attended several career fairs and found that they are a total waste of time. It seems like it good time for employers (HR) people to have a day out of the office, get free lunch and hang out…..They all have the proviable saying go to our website and apply.Don’t waste your time, unless you are bored and want to get some trinkets and free shiny brochures……
By Bachelor HS
August 7, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, I have been trying to find a job for the last couple of weeks however it is very difficult. I fax and e-mail my resume to so many organization and not one place call or e-mail me back. I am getting very discouraged by not hearing from any one. Please help me know what I can do?
By Valgal
August 7, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this
I have a Bachelors degree in Communications. I, too, have gone to several job/career fairs, and have found them to be a total waste of time. They are always located way across town and you spend a pretty penny on gas just to drive there. You’re lucky if you can find a place to park. It’s crowded, kind of like a big cattle call. You wait in line for an hour just to get in. Then when you see the booths set up representing the various employers, the folks manning them seem rather uninterested and distant. I have never found any emplyment opprtunities from attending those.
By Patra
August 7, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this
I agree whole-heartedly with Valgal. Attending the various job fairs have been frustrating and exhausting. I just returned from the MEGA fair at the Cobb Galleria… .disappointing!!!! A week or so ago, I was at the Galleria for yet another job fair… it was more disappointing than the one today. I am looking for an entry level management position in marketing (not interested in selling insurance). Most, if not all, of the jobs available at the fairs do not require a degree. I am over qualified. When I hand over a resume, it is glanced over and placed in a stack with countless other resumes (File 13). Is this all that Atlanta has to offer? I would like to see Delta, AirTran,Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, SunTrust, Wachovia, Bank of America, CNN, Georgia Dome, Georgia Pacific, GA Aquarium, AT&T, CocaCola, The CW, WTBS, Retail anchors (Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales), Healthcare Agencies and Hospitals, Employment Agencies, Mortgage Companies, home builders (Bowen, Portrait, John Weiland), restaurants, hotels, Equifax, General Electric, and many others. I guess it is true of what I have heard of getting a job in Atlanta that it is “who you know” that gets you the job.