Recruiting Through Job Fairs: Is it Worth the Cost?

There are many ways to fill an open position within your organization. LinkedIn, recruiters, online job searches, or job fairs can all be used as a means to find the perfect candidate for your company. LinkedIn and online searches can be done with minimal effort, but a job fair usually requires much more and may not always be worth it. Is going through the extra mile of effort worth it to find the perfect candidate?

Why You Should

You can meet with non-traditional candidates. The typical LinkedIn search or online job posting may not be the best option for finding unique talent. The filters for websites, while usually helpful in weeding out the unqualified, may actually be keeping you from finding employees that are out of the ordinary but would best fit the position.

Gives you the chance to network with other businesses. Job fairs not only give you the chance to meet potential employees but also to chat with other businesses. There is nothing like face to face communication and meeting fellow companies can lead to future business endeavors that might not have happened otherwise.

Can increase your brand awareness. Job fairs give your company the chance to put a friendly face to the name and get the word out that you are hiring. Once candidates know that you have opportunities available, the pool of choices becomes wider.

Allows you to meet with several candidates at once.Rather than taking the time and effort in meeting candidates one by one by searching through LinkedIn or recruiters, job fairs allow you to meet several candidates during a short amount of time.

Why You Should Not

May attract the incorrect type of talent.The typical attendee of a job fair is usually a younger, less experienced candidate. This may not be the right place to search for a candidate if a great deal of experience is needed.

Well-known companies usually get the most attention. Job searchers at a fair usually go for the companies whose name they recognize, sometimes missing out on the lesser known companies with the better job opportunities. The Google’s and Nike’s of the world may have the longestlines at any job fair, potentially leaving your table empty and day wasted.

Should be about quality, not quantity. Lastly, you may have several candidates lining up at your booth but quality can never be guaranteed. It is not about quantity, but rather quality. Usually, just one or two positions need to be filled, so fielding tens of unqualified candidates is a waste of time.

The answer to the question of whether to invest in a job fair or not, remains based on your company’s specific needs. Entry-level sales positions may be best filled at a job fair where you can find a large amount of young, fresh talent. More senior or technical level positions most likely should be left to a recruiter or a LinkedIn find. When deciding on whether to participate in a job fair, evaluate what kind of candidate you are looking for and decide whether a job fair will produce what your company needs.


Ashley Herbert

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