On average, a whopping 98 percent of candidates for employment are eliminated before interviews even begin. That means to get just one qualified interview, employers must sift through roughly 50 applications. Job fairs can be a great way to fill your applicant pool with suitable candidates who are both qualified and eager to work for your company.
For some best practices to help you get the most out of a job fair, keep reading. We explore success tips as well as insight on the best job-fair giveaways for staff recruitment.
Success tips for job-fair staff recruitment
A little planning goes a long way in preparing for a job fair. First, decide ahead of time which positions you plan to promote, and be sure booth staffers are prepared to talk about them. Job fairs attract a wide variety of people with varying skill sets, so you may be interacting with those interested in entry-level positions as well as potential executives.
Decide ahead of time how you will collect applicant information. Will you accept résumés at the booth? Will you direct candidates to apply online? Or do you have the capacity to conduct onsite interviews?
Whether you’re conducting onsite interviews or simply networking with potential candidates, be sure to prepare pre-qualification questions. After all, the purpose of a job fair is to efficiently attract and screen candidates.
Finally, don’t forget the swag. The best job-fair giveaways attract the best candidates. This top five list is sure to please.
Represent your company with these 5 best job-fair giveaways
Tech accessories
Eighty-five percent (PDF) of people keep promotional products that are useful. Tech accessories won’t disappoint. Dual-purpose items, like the stylus pen with cleaning cloth and ear bud/phone stand combo, are sure to attract job seekers to your booth.
Promotional bags
Not only do promotional bags come in handy at a job fair, they also get seen by more eyes than any other promotional product. In fact, just one tote bag gets an average of 5,700 impressions in its lifetime. That’s a lot of eyes! The convention bag or elite tote will make a big impression at the job fair and, if all goes well, on the job, too.
USB drives
USB drives make great recruitment tools. Plus, 91 percent of people who are given one, keep it. Choose something unique and useful, like the combo USB drive/bottle opener. Upload relevant company information, an application and more to hand out to promising prospects.
Promotional drinkware
Job fairs can be draining. And all that talking can leave job seekers parched. Offer up a cold beverage in a branded tumbler to those who stop by. This gesture not only shows hospitality, it encourages candidates to stay awhile, providing you with valuable face time.
Buzzworthy swag
Let’s face it, when you have buzzworthy swag, news travels fast. Fun toys, like the fidget spinner pen or carabiner spinner, are sure to generate lots of traffic.
Job fairs are a great way to meet a lot of job seekers in a short amount of time. Keep these best practices (and best job-fair giveaways) in mind for surefire success. Good luck!