Monster Job Fair
In spite of our misgivings of job fairs, we headed out to the Monster Job Fair this past Thursday (3/19) at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. A stop in Monster’s “Keep America Working Tour”, the Chicago event played host to a solid presence of hiring organizations, most notably TransUnion, OfficeMax and Sun-Times News Group.
On hand were career experts speaking on “how to stand out in the crowd in today’s tough job market.” The resume expert we observed delivered obvious resume tips in the form of platitudes which fell bluntly upon a thin and disinterested audience. Nonetheless, we applaud Monster’s efforts for the effort in trying to empower job-seekers.
It seems conventional wisdom compels most job fair attendees to arrive en masse right as the doors open. We eschewed this notion by arriving around noon and it worked to our favor, affording us greater accessibility to company booths. By this time the herd had thinned out and we were able to spend a little more time with hiring managers without the added pressure of someone looming over our shoulders.
The reality is long lines are a given at job fairs. In my opinion, this fundamentally handicaps ones ability to make meaningful connections with hiring managers. With a cavalcade of resume toting job-seekers behind you, it is crucial that your elevator pitch be on point and memorable. For this reason, I would suggest researching the companies and positions that will be at the job fair and be prepared to convey specifically why & how your skills and experience are a good match for that company.
For more on the Monster’s Keep America Working Tour, view their Calendar of Events
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Who was their resume expert?
Didn’t catch the name. But she was no where as captivating as you Christy
One thing that happened for me at this event was that don’t just go by what the company has posted. The HR professional you are talking to may know of other jobs coming down the pipeline that are not posted yet and they are unable at that time to discuss them.
Get real, at any job fair the companies are going to send their entry level HR people that may or may not understand the company and their products. All you can hope for is to get a contact back at the company and go there.
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