how to succeed at a job fair

How to Succeed at a Job Fair

Questions and Answers with Human Resource ProfessionalsIllinois workNet Webinar

Join the conversation on Twitter with #ILworkNet or #jobfair

Illinois workNet Job Fair Webinar Twitter - #ILworkNet or #jobfair

Meet our PresentersLaurie Huspen – PresidentValuable Resources, Co. since 2003

A successful entrepreneur, author of “Unveiled”, speaker, university instructor, and board member forStroke Survivors Empowering Each Other (SSEEO).

Laurie holds a Masters degree in HR Management and trained in Six Sigma. Being personally affected by adverse HR policies, she became an advocate of companies and employee rights and established VRC in 2003 and published, “Unveiled” in 2010. She has over 15 years of experience in human resources, with expertise in employee retention, strategic planning and execution of the HR foundation for growing businesses.

My specialty is working on-site with clients. This allows me to fully understand my client(s)’ needs and vision of their business to influence strategies to increase their return on investment. www.vrc-hr.com

Nancy Clausen – HR DirectorSplashNet Xpress

A Human Resources Professional, Nancy demonstrates her abilities currently with a wholesale company in St. Charles Illinois that employs a vast array of individuals from warehouse to designers.

Nancy has worked in service, retail, e-commerce, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution with both non-union and union cultures.

SplashNet Xpress is the home of Blue Wave pool and spa products.

www.splashnetexpress.com

http://www.vrc-hr.com/

http://www.splashnetexpress.com/


Meet our PresentersSylvia Wetzel – Chief Learning Officer

Bison Gear & Engineering Corp.

Bison Gear is a manufacturer of electric motors, gearmotors and reducers located in St. Charles, Illinois. Ms. Wetzel joined

Bison in 1994, where her career has encompassed Marketing, Information Technology, International Strategy and Corporate Training and Development.

Ms. Wetzel is also very devoted to pursuing social awareness issues and is President of BisonCares, a 501C3 nonprofit whose mission is to facilitate a set of responsive initiatives for the well being of local and global communities. In 2007 BisonCares was awarded the St. Charles chamber of Commerce civic Image Award in recognition of its humanitarian efforts.

She serves as Public Policy Representative for Bison in Washington DC and brings expertise to the NAM’s policy development in work force development and health care. She was a founding member of their Women in Manufacturing initiative.

www.bisongear.com

Mohamed Faheem -DirectorBusiness & Career Services, Inc.

Mohammed Faheem is the Director of Business Employer Solutions and Corporate Relations for Business and

Career Services operator of the Illinois workNet Center in Arlington Heights.

Mohammed is a widely recognized motivational speaker and creator of the “Power Employment Workshops” presented every month across Northwest Chicago in 14 different locations. He is also recognized for implementing cutting edge business process reengineering and social media strategies for market penetration and societal change.

He has a Masters' degree in Communication and Journalism and over 25 years experience in business consulting, radio, marketing, public relations, and advertising.

www.worknetncc.com

http://www.bisongear.com/

http://www.worknetncc.com/


Meet our GuidesDee Reinhardt – PresidentTime2Mrkt

A social media strategist, Dee helps solopreneurs and small business optimize their digital presence.

Dee began her marketing and social media journey with a local workforce agency. In 2011, she began her consulting business, and has been teaching, coaching, implementing and maintaining ever since.

Always looking for new ways to advance an organizations marketing efforts, when social media came into the arena, Dee jumped on the challenge of learning all of the aspects and became certified in 2010.

Her business, Time2Mrkt, Inc. helps guide businesses through the sometimes treacherous waters of social media to help them make the best use of their time and resources.www.time2mrkt.com

Natasha Telger – Illinois workNet

Integration and Training Coordinator with Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Natasha provides Illinois workNet integration and training assistance to workforce partners who help Illinois residents reach their training and employment goals.

www.illinoisworknet.com

http://www.time2mrkt.com/

http://www.illinoisworknet.com/


What to expect at Job Fair?

• Two types – employer hosted vs. multi-employer• Virtual vs. live• Networking vs. interview situation• Log into www.illinoisworknet.com

– Register as a user – Receive updates about events happening in your area.



When you as an employer go to a job fair, what are some of your goals?

• Branding of our organization and sourcing of suitable candidates for open and future positions.

• Getting the message out about manufacturing• Attracting young people to well paying careers in manufacturing• Communicating the importance to them about Math, Problem Solving, Reading

and the NCRC• Find new Talent for our Organization• Find the right person – determine in advance what the right person is. Typically

looking for more than one person for an open position• Herding vs. hiring• To get a feel for the types and quality of the candidates at that fair to determine

future attendance• To find qualified candidates for open positions and leads for future openings


What should a job seeker do prior to the job fair to be properly prepared?

• The job seeker should visit the employer’s website and come prepared with a targeted resume for specific job positions that match his skills, experience and background.

• Proper resume and plenty of copies of it.• Appropriate appearance, engage in conversation, know about the companies that are at the

job fair, their mission statement, and culture to know if you would want to work for them• Think about what they plan to wear, business formal is always the best way to go, unless

circumstances don’t allow it. Make sure that whatever it is, it is clean and wrinkle free. Nothing is worse than when the person shows up in wrinkled attire.

• Think about not only the questions you might be asked but, what is your ideal job, what do you hope to accomplish at this job fair.

• Unless you are applying for an art or designer position, never wear a lot of bling, shorts, or flip flops, if you are in business dress ensure that socks & shoes match the attire.


What do you look for when the person is face-to-face with you at the job fair?

• Attitude, appearance and personality• Good Communication skills, Dressed neatly, eye contact, and desire & motivation.• Hygiene, appearance, how they hold themselves – confidence, professionalism,

drive to get the position.• Appearance – are they put together, well groomed, how organized are they with their

materials – this shows they take care of themselves and some of their organizational characteristics and how they might handle projects and the work load

• Personality and Energy - are they comfortable, do they look at you when they talk about their skills and abilities, are their answers intelligent and given in quick and easy flow, or do they take a lot of time to think about it, or seemed to be using “stock” answers.

• Are they pushy – Don’t keep trying to sell yourself Career Fairs are a meet in greet, not time for a formal interview.

• Don’t be over Chatty, present yourself, clearly concisely and honestly.


What do you do during the brief encounter at a job fair to assess a person’s soft skills?

• A job fair only allows a brief opportunity to assess verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

• Good Communication skills, Dressed neatly, eye contact, and desire and motivation.

• How they answer questions, yea vs. yes.• If they respond when asked how they are doing, if they ask the

question back in return.• Eye contact, Good handshake, Smile• Ask the candidate a specific question that will tell me about the skills

for which I am looking.


Should participants be prepared to fill out an application?

• Yes• Always• No• No applications take a long time, and you may miss meeting with

potential companies if you were to stop and fill out an application for each potential employer, Candidates should have a resume with their name, address, phone number and e-mail address.


What questions should an attendee be prepared to discuss "on the spot"?

• What do you know about our company/product/service• Why should we hire you• What is your availability to come in for an interview• Experience, credentials and desire.• What type of position are you looking for?• Do you have a resume with you?• What are you currently doing/are you currently working?• Are you looking for full-time/part-time/ internship?• When are you expected to graduate?• What specifically are you looking for?• Their skills and be prepared to back up the level of those skills with examples.• Why should I hire you over everyone else here?• What are you bringing to the table?


What if a job seeker presents a resume for a position that you do not have open?

• It would be better if they apply on-line. Paper resumes are not something that we would hold on to.

• Certainly• Be up front and honest that there is not an opening, see if they are interested and

QUALIFIED to apply for the position available.• An employer may always keep/or ask for a resume, and a candidate may always

leave their resume. But you don’t want to have a candidate complete an application if there is not an open position.

• The career fair is like a networking event. For example think of it like this: A resume is as if you were accepting their business card. An application is more of the proposal that a client is hiring specifically for a project they need.

• Yes, absolutely, if a great candidate crosses your path, keep it you never know when you might have the right opening. And to both the employer and the employee I would recommend keeping in touch.


How should a newly graduated incumbent worker position their job search?

• They should show some volunteer experience, preferably in the new career field to prove they have been productively engaged during their transition period. Classroom skills alone will not help in the hiring decision.

• Have a resume reflecting the experience and be prepared to discuss the desire to put that experience to use in a new career path.

• Intern positions


What type of questions would you expect a job seeker to ask you at a job fair?

• Is this a new position for which you are hiring?• When does this position start?• What is my next step?• How can I contact you after today to follow up?• What openings are available.• What sort of credentials do you recognize or do I need• Do you train for positions.• GENERAL questions about compensation ranges & benefits


What should job seekers not ask?

• How much does this job pay?• Is there an opportunity to work part-time?• How many day’s vacation can I get? How soon do they start?• Compensation• Ask what the hours and workdays are and then ask if they can alter

them to fit their schedule.• How much longer their boss will be in the position, so they can move

up.


What type of “next steps” do you provide to the job seeker at your booth?

• Give the contact information for the recruiter or hiring manager and tell the job seeker to expect a call for a formal interview.

• Have them go on-line and fill in a job application and take any required screening tests.

• Go to our website and familiarize yourself with our company. • If you have the NCRC or the MSSC bring them with you when you

come to our company to fill out a job application.• We let them know what the follow-up will be, depending on the

type of career fair. Whether we will schedule interviews on campus in the next following days, or be contacting them during the next week to set up interviews.


Who should follow-up first? And how?

• The job seeker should always follow-up by email or a phone call.• We should follow up with possible candidates. However, if they didn’t bring a

resume it would be okay to have them follow-up by providing one first.• It is appropriate for the candidate to follow up first. Personally, I like a thank you

through snail mail rather than email. Just a personal thing, but it is appropriate to send an email thanking them for their time and expressing their interest.

• Depending upon the size of the organization, in general the employer should follow-up first. If it is a larger company with a big recruiting department, then feel free to contact them.

• Please remember that often a recruiter may have been out of the office for a period of time at career fairs, and will be inundated with e-mails, voice mails and issues. Please be patient giving them at minimum a week before you start calling.


Thank You for Attending

• Watch for the post of this webinar on– www.illinoisworknet.com

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What is your typical routine at a job fair?

• Booth set up and walk through to scope out the other employers.• HR & Marketing Staff may attend• Talk to the person to find out what they want to do, honesty to

determine whether it is actually the right position, • Arrive at least one hour before, set-up, review the list of other

exhibitors to determine who may be competing for the same talent, then walk around to check them out.

• Stand out in front of the table rather then behind whenever possible.


Should a job seeker expect to be hired on the spot?

• No, Career fairs are short meet and great type situations. Both the employer and the employee should want to take the time for a more formal interview and discussion of the position, the skills and the company. Before a decision is made. In rare circumstances do I ever extend an immediate job offer.


What happens on the employer end after the job fair?

• A list of qualified candidates is generated and passed on to the hiring managers/hr staff to initiate contact with the candidates.

• The employer would follow-up on possible strong candidates.• Within a few days, the HR dept will go through the resumes received and follow up

with a phone call or email to further the hiring process. The HR department may send a letter to a candidate who is not qualified to wish them good luck in their endeavors.

• Review resumes the evening of the career fair while the memories are still fresh, sort and organize them. Those with the best fit and would choose to interview more in-depth, I contact within two-three days after the career fair. Those that are currently not a fit, receive a thank you for their interest within a week of the career fair.

how to succeed at a job fair

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