COVID-19 has changed our daily lives– it has even changed the way that we meet and interact with employers. In August, Walden Career Services will be hosting their first virtual Walden Career Connections Job Fair in partnership with Alumni Engagement. During the online job fair, employers and job seekers connect in a virtual environment to discuss available employment opportunities. Here are four ways that you can make the most of your next virtual job fair!
Prepare Your Marketing
Just because you are not attending a job fair in person, does not mean you should arrive empty-handed! If you have not already shared your resume when registering for the event, make sure that you have an updated copy of your resume ready in case an employer requests you to email one. It is also a good idea to make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflects your professional goals. Also, consider registering for Walden Career Connections Job Fair events with your LinkedIn account. By doing so, you can save time and ensure that employers have your most recent skills and accomplishments at their fingertips. Finally, prepare a greeting that you can share with employers when you are connected to chat. To learn more about how Walden Career Connections Job Fairs work, watch this brief video.
Do Your Research
Research participating employers ahead of the Job Fair. Chats with recruiters are timed and typically last only 10-15 minutes. Researching employers in advance can help you to make the most of your time. When you enter the Event Lobby, visit employer booths you are most interested in first. Job Fair events are ‘first come, first served,” so do not hesitate to get in line to chat. To make the most of your time, you can get in line to chat in multiple booths during Walden Career Connections Job Fair events.
Communicate Effectively
Be friendly and enthusiastic when communicating with employers. When preparing for text-based interactions, like those you will experience during a Walden Career Connections Job Fair event, you may want to prepare some talking points that you can share with potential employers to demonstrate that you would be a good fit for the position. Be ready to answer common questions like “tell me about yourself” or “why are you interested in working for our company?” Prepare some selling points regarding your skills and experience that will be easy to copy and paste into the chat. This can be especially helpful if you do not type quickly.
Follow Up
After each chat is over, you can rate the conversation and add notes for yourself to help you follow up in the future. You also have the ability to send a “Final Thought ” to booth representatives to tie up any loose ends or mention an important point if you have run out of time. After the event, you can visit the History screen to see a full list of chats and a transcript of your discussion. Sending a brief note to thank recruiters for their time can help you stand out.
In a competitive job market, those who quickly adapt to changing circumstances have the best chance for success! These tips will help you use your next virtual job fair as an opportunity to share your skills, experience, and personality with employers.
To learn more about upcoming events and take advantage of career management resources, visit the Walden Career Services website.
Written by Angie Lira, Associate Director of Digital Products and Services