A job fair is an event for many companies within a certain geographical location to meet and recruit potential candidates in one convenient location - usually a large hotel or exhibition centre.

The job fair will offer job hunters the chance to go to a "one-stop shopping mall" that offers representatives from 50-100 companies who are searching for pre-employment (internship) or full-time job candidates. The representatives will usually offer information about general career opportunities as well as specific vacancy information to visitors. Often, they will also conduct on-the-spot interviews should they find an appropriate candidate.

So why go? Whether you are actively looking for a job or merely browsing around for opportunities, the job fair is an extremely good opportunity for you to meet with a lot of companies (usually big ones) who are in the market of hiring. On top of that, it is usually free to job applicants and the event allows you to check out many options in a very short frame of time and in one location.

Other benefits include the ability to gain valuable interview experience, increase your chances of interviewing with an employer (and not just be another CV in their overflowing inbox), receive job search advice from seasoned recruiters and develop your network of contacts.

How to prepare
Because there will be hundreds, if not thousands of others who will be hunting for prospects in the same event, it is always prudent to prepare yourself fully. Firstly, review the list of companies attending the job fair and filter down a selection of companies you would be interested to meet (realistically, you will be unable to meet all the companies there, anyway!). Research these companies on the job fair website or the companies’ respective career websites.

Next, set out your strategy for working the job fair. Prioritise the employers you will want to speak to, identify the kind of information you will require from them and specify your objectives for attending the job fair. With that in mind, you can now review your resume against these objectives and refine it to best reflect the capabilities for your intended job. Make sure it is as current as possible and check it twice for spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. Then, make at least 20-30 copies - if you are intending to meet more employers than that, make enough copies for them and an additional 10 more, in case you meet other interesting prospects.

Another important tip is to develop a quick yet concise 1-2 minute "pitch" for yourself. Think of it as your own commercial where you are the product that you are trying to sell to companies. It should introduce yourself, express why you are interested in the company or job area, and briefly relate your background to the company's vacancy requirements or industry area. In addition to that, you should also prepare four to five questions to ask companies to answer the questions that you will need answered to help you decide if they are right for you.

Now the obvious: Dress professionally for the event. Even though it may not be a proper interview and office environment, impressions do not count any less in a job fair. They are still potential employers who are seeking to find the most impressive candidates from among thousands.

Find out next month how to work a job fair and what to do after the fair is over.