How to Stand Out at a Job Fair

Even in a great economy when jobs are plentiful and good help is hard to come by, participating in a job fair is hard work. There are usually one or two recruiters from each organization present. There are hundreds of people just like you looking for a job and in an economy like this; the number could very well be in the thousands. It's important to make yourself stand out at a job fair - to be the person who is remembered over and above the rest of the participants. When I attended a recent job fair, I knew the participants would be many and the jobs few. I had to figure out some ways to be noticed and more importantly some ways to be remembered after I walked away from the recruiter's booth.

What to Wear:

I thought long and hard about what I was going to wear to the job fair eventually deciding on dark pants and a business-like red jacket. I think I made a good choice there because honestly, I stood out in a sea of black and navy. Just about everyone had on a suit, solid or pinstripe, but all were in dark colors. If you do wear a dark suit, wearing a brightly colored top underneath the jacket or a colorful scarf or necklace will also do. When a recruiter makes notes about you - it will be easier for them to jot down "project manager in red jacket" and remember you later.

It's harder for guys to stand out - you'll definitely be remembered if you wear a red suit but probably not in a good way, unless you're applying for a mall Santa Claus position. But don't despair - there are options for men too. Try to wear a tie that stands out or fold a handkerchief in your suit coat pocket. Wear a tie clip too - anything that will make the recruiter remember you in a sea of faces that undoubtedly blend together by mid-morning.

What to Leave Behind:

Travel light. Leave your coat in the car. It was 35 degrees in Virginia when I went to the job fair; but there was nowhere to put a coat so I'm glad I left mine in the car. This goes for umbrellas, big pocketbooks, and anything else that is ungainly. Of course, if it's pouring down rain, you may be forced to use an umbrella, but once inside find an inconspicuous place to park it until you're ready to leave.

Put your cell phone on vibrate or silent or better yet, leave it in the car. You only have a few minutes with each recruiter - you don't want to break the momentum by having a jangling cell phone interrupt you midway through your spiel.

What to Bring:

I carried a black leather portfolio with my resumes and a functioning pen inside. Here's a tip - don't carry your resumes in a manila folder. Invest in some kind of professional looking folder, binder or portfolio. Have your pen readily available; clip it right inside the portfolio. Recruiters don't want to watch you fumble around for a pen like Barney Fife looking for his bullet in his shirt pocket.

If possible, bring some samples of previous work. I brought three training guides I designed as well as a copy of a newsletter I developed. I kept them in the portfolio and once I got a chance to discuss my experience, I was literally able to 'show my stuff'. If the recruiter seemed interested, I went into a little detail about the samples. If their eyes glazed over or they seemed otherwise distracted (one recruiter kept looking out the front door) then I quietly slid my samples back into the portfolio and moved on.

Your Resume:

Make your resume stand out. Everyone had resumes on white paper. Print your resume on different colored paper or use paper that has a professional but unique border and use a heavier paper stock. Add a photo of yourself - that's a great way to have the recruiters remember you and give you the competitive edge. And finally, make sure you have enough copies of your resume. Nothing says unprofessional like having to tell a recruiter that you don't have a resume to give them. I ran into a colleague at the job fair whose printer broke that morning so she had no resumes with her. My printer didn't work either but I copied my resume to a thumb drive and went to Kinkos and for about $10 I printed 50 copies of my resume.

Make sure your resume is in your hand or on top of your portfolio when you shake hands with the recruiter. When I pulled a resume out of my portfolio, it was stuck to the resume underneath - a big no-no. Have everything prepared before you walk up to the booth. You want to make sure you can seamlessly hand your paperwork to them - don't be clumsy and disorganized and have to shuffle through a lot of papers.

Sell Yourself:

Have a few pat answers down in case you are interviewed on the spot. A recruiter might ask "why do you want to work for us". This is not the time to hem and haw especially when there are hundreds of people milling around wanting that same opportunity. Stand out. Make positive "I" statements even if they are generic. You are only going to have a few minutes - make an impact. Sell yourself. Practice in front of a mirror or on a friend. Or better yet, video tape yourself and play it back. Make sure you make eye contact with the recruiter - don't continually look around for your next opportunity. Michael Beaty, a Seattle Recruiter, suggests you do a bit of research on the companies that are participating in the job fair. Beaty says that recruiters love to see a candidate who has a specific interest and knowledge in their company. He states "if you can come to the booth and say 'It was great to see that your company announced solid earnings for Q3,' or something else related to the business, you've definitely set yourself apart from the rest".

Now, for some of the things I wished I had done differently:

Two people asked me for my email address. I wish I had made up some business cards or a personal calling card. You can print them yourself at home or have them made up for a nominal cost online or at any print store. Make sure your card has your name, email address and cell phone number. Put a tag line if you wish - mine might say "Training Content Design" or "Freelance Writer"; but if you don't want to box yourself in, leave this part out. Just make sure your contact information is on the card so companies know how to reach you.

Don't waste your time or the recruiter's time. I spent ten minutes talking to a woman who was involved in some sort of pyramid marketing concept. I'm not going to pay money to buy a franchise and I wish I had those ten minutes back. I also did not waste any time talking to accounting temp agencies or IT consulting firms. I'm not qualified for either, therefore, I focused on companies and agencies that needed someone with my skill set.

And finally, email the recruiter a thank you as soon as possible. It will be easier to refer to any conversations you had with a recruiter when those conversations are fresh in your mind. Beaty suggests that candidates take notes while talking with the recruiter or as soon as you walk away from the booth. That way, when you follow-up later, you will have some references to jog your memory. Make the thank you note short and personable but make sure you include your contact information again.

It's a jungle out there so make sure you come prepared to put your best foot forward and this might just be the last job fair you'll have to attend for awhile.