If you've been in the recruitment business long enough, you know that Job Fairs are a necessary evil. You have to leave your office for the day, schlepp all your materials to the site (if you see one more hotel ballroom with blue velour drapes you are going to pass out), eat a delicious boxed lunch and chit-chat with people you probably will not see again. HOWEVER....we all know that Job Fairs are a common means of recruiting...especially at the entry level.

For the recruiter, it offers the opportunity to meet the highest number of prospects in the shortest amount of time; for the student, it offers a "freebie" opportunity to meet with hiring employers. Its a win-win if you take away the boxed lunch!

The key is to do your homework or you as the recruiter will end up wasting your time. Usually, about 50% or more of the attendees at job fairs are "window shoppers" who are just browsing to see what's available. For the student, even the 2-3 minute greet & exchange is a real interview. You are being evaluated whether it is 30 seconds or 30 minutes. If the employee has done his homework correctly, he or she knows what the employer is looking for. There is no sense standing on line 30 minutes to meet with the Xerox rep for a job in tech support when they are only looking for sales reps. Browse the table first, pick up some literature and then decide if you need to come back to that table. Job Fairs have a set of rules and protocols all their own. Both the employer & employee can easily figure out how to work the system and thereby double or triple your productivity and effectiveness.