You can't afford to leave any stone unturned in today's market. While job fairs feel more and more like zoos, they still provide opportunities to see (conduct some research, see who's out there, gather some business cards from recruiters and others) and be seen (actually meet with a recruiter).
A Story...
I am counseling a talented business analyst who has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is really working her search, going to network meetings, following up on leads, and putting a positive face to the world. She left a message earlier this week stating that she had an interview coming up and wanted to go over a few things. When we spoke, my first question was 'how did you find out about the position?' To my surprise she said, 'at a job fair'.
She then explained that she'd gone to this job fair and, as expected, it was a zoo. There were tons of people and very long lines. My client scoped out the field and selected one or two target companies. She was on a long, long line and thought about bailing out, but decided she might as well hang in there. She got to the front of the line just as the fair was ending, so she didn't have much time with the recruiter. She had her 2 minute pitch well polished and within a few minutes the recruiter looked at her with a big smile and said, 'finally someone who understands project management.' The recruiter told her she'd be presenting her resume to her manager and my client got a call within a day to schedule this interview.
The interview went well and she should know within a week or two whether she'll move ahead in the process. I'll keep you posted on her progress.
The bottom line - you have to do it all, including job fairs, because you never know where you'll uncover the next lead to a live one!
To find job fairs in your area, just Google 'job fairs in ____' and see what pops up.
About Me
- Beth
- I have been involved in career and transition counseling for over 30 years. I know a lot about the 'how to' and yet find the process just as overwhelming as anyone else going through it. I was encouraged to write this blog when I made the decision to move from the life of a freelance consultant (with no health benefits) to a position that would keep me in one place, with a team and full benefits. My journey came to a temporary end when I landed a part-time position in Career Services at Pace University. I say temporary because the professional networking critical to successful career management is an ongoing process. In fact, after a little more than a year, I used my network to move to a full time position at Seton Hall University, a mere 2 miles from my home. It's now 5 years later and I am once again considering a career change, moving from a full time job into semi-retirement, back to a consulting role. Through this blog I will continue to share my experience and expertise about job search and transition in the hope that my knowledge and stories will benefit others.
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