How to stand out at a virtual job fair: Tips for job seekers

What’s your biggest challenge at any job fair? To be seen, heard, and hired by leading organizations. Now imagine the pool of candidates that you’re competing with to be twice as large and competitive at a virtual job fair and recuriting event.

What is a virtual job fair?

A virtual job fair is where candidates like you are offered an opportunity to connect with multiple employers on a single virtual platform. Simply put, it is a job fair taking place online.

However, there’s much to consider when it comes to landing a dream job at your desired organization, especially keeping in mind the variety of global candidates competing for the same position at the same time. According to a LinkedIn survey, up to 85% of jobs are filled via networking. A virtual job fair enables networking on a global scale, improving competition as well as opportunities at the same time. 

Here’s the thing though – worry less and do more!

The following list of tips are designed to help you stand out at your next virtual job fair, and be seen, heard, and hired by top organizations around the world.

Tip #1. Research recruiters and industries beforehand

At any virtual job fair, participating employers provide candidates with resources of all kinds – company profiles, materials showcasing their organizational culture and growth opportunities, available positions, job descriptions, and so on. 

This information is, however, shared with all attending candidates. In order to stand out, you need to consume more than what is offered at the job fair. Do your homework prior to the event and prepare a few talking points based on industry trends and organizational goals that resonate with your professional goals.

Tip #2. Practice your unique pitch

Just like at an in-person job fair, a well-crafted and practiced pitch works wonders  at a virtual job fair. This is where you can simply talk about what makes you a potential asset for any given employer. The fact that you are attending a job fair from across the screen does not make it any less real, or critical, to have a great pitch ready.

What you need to remember is, just like you are looking for employers, employers are also on the lookout for you. At a virtual job fair, employers can search for relevant candidates that match their criteria and schedule a meeting with you at any time. Be prepared, not only for the opportunities you are seeking, but also those that are seeking you.

Tip #3. To stand out, you really need to “stand out”

Participate in conversations within group chatrooms and ask questions during webinar sessions. We wouldn’t recommend you do it just for the sake of it – it’s really easy to lose your charm if the conversation is irrelevant. However, doing your research — as tip #1 stated — will prepare you to have a substantial voice and be noticed amongst the crowd.

Being in the know therefore gives you a competitive edge and makes you a prominent candidate for employers.

Tip #4. Dress to impress

As stated previously, just because you’re participating in a virtual job fair from the comfort of your home, does not necessarily give you the leverage to showcase your natural habitat. Dressing for the job you’re targeting is highly essential, even if you’re connecting with hiring managers from across the screen. Trust us, they’re still judging you the same way they would in an in-person event. So, what isn’t appropriate there would not be appropriate here either.

Tip #5. Look out for external distractions and technical difficulties

Make sure you’re attending the event from a peaceful venue. Employers do not have to deal with external noises interrupting their conversations with you or with untidy environments that set a bad impression, even before the conversation begins.

Moreover, testing your technology before time is essential to your performance at any virtual job fair. Make sure you are connected to a stable internet and have your mic and camera all sorted before you get into any serious, life changing conversations.

Tip #6. Follow-up is a must

A lot of brilliant candidates either lose out on their opportunities by skipping the last step of the equation or  60% of job seekers quit in the middle of filling out online job applications because of their length or complexity. Follow ups help you remain top of mind in both cases.   

Even a simple email saying you enjoyed the conversation with them might act as a recall for hiring managers who may appreciate the interest that you reflect towards them.

Next steps

While job fairs can be daunting at times, there’s so much more you can do to set a long lasting impression and land the job of your dreams without the physical or monetary pressure of being present anywhere other than your own comfort zone, in case of virtual job fairs. With an increased participation also comes an increased set of opportunities on a single platform. So, what better way is there to jump onto these opportunities than bringing a few tips into action? 

Looking for upcoming virtual job fairs? Get in touch with vFairs now.

About vFairs

At vFairs.com, we strive to build a top-class online event platform that will help event organizers make memorable connections with their target audience. We’re obsessed with taking out the hassle normally associated with physical events and leaving organizers and exhibitors to focus on what’s most important: engagement with the audience.