By Tim Sardano, Employment Times LLC
Most job fairs run four to six hours, but for attendees that should never be the case. You have a lot of work to do when you leave a job fair and you should start on that as soon as possible. Don't put it off for a couple of days because chances are those couple days someone else will have already made the effort on their behalf.
You should have made several connections at the job fair, be they exhibitors or fellow job seekers. Collect your notes and thoughts on these discussions and write them down in one easy to access location - notebook, computer, folder etc. You'll need these notes later.
Are you using social media? Is anyone you met at the job fair, too? Connect with them on LinkedIn or Facebook to stay up to date on their current activities and so you can provide them with yours. Social media is a good way to stay connected with people without having to call, which helps you stay top of mind when companies have a "no phone calls, please" policy. You should also "Fan" a company page of an organization which you applied for company current-events.
Here is an excellent slideshow on how you can utilize social media in your job search:
http://www.slideshare.net/JCSI/get-noticed-get-hired-webinar-1974846
And here is an audio file on the same topic:
http://jcsi.podbean.com/2009/09/11/get-noticed-get-hired
Be aware, though. Social media sites are mainly for personal use, but more and more companies are searching these sites when researching a candidate. Hide or remove any photos or comments that may be inappropriate.
Never underestimate the thank-you note. Send a thank-you to every exhibitor you spoke with, and do so for each individual not just the organization. A hand-written card will add a nice touch but e-mails are fine, too. Revert back to the notes you made, as mentioned at the beginning of this blog, and use their key points when writing your thank-you note. Thank the individual for taking the time to speak with you, highlight a couple speaking points so they will remember your face, and reinforce how you can help the company if they hired you for their position.
You'll want to still send a thank-you note even if you spoke with an exhibitor and they asked you to apply online. Thank them for directing you to the proper application process, reinforce what you spoke of face-to-face and tell them why you are a good candidate.
Try to keep your thank-you note to four or five lines—simple and straight to the point.
Some people can feel slighted to attend a job fair and be told they need to apply online (see last blog), but if you send a thank-you you'll add a face to the name that online applications can sometimes lack. By sending the thank-you note you're connecting your online application with the person the exhibitor spoke with from the job fair.
Lastly, stay aggressive in your job search. Don't think that just because you went to a job fair and put forth the effort you should wait around for the phone to ring. Continue looking for work and update your social media sites when you have interviews scheduled or when you apply for an opening. Let everyone know when you are looking for work and keep them updated on your search. Some companies may just see that you are in demand and they better scoop you up while they can.
