In today’s working environment, it is not always easy to find the right job match. Sourcing top candidates for a job is not what it used to be before. In the past, it was enough to simply post a job advertisement. Now, it is essential to incorporate company culture, requirements, multiple degrees, skills needed for a job and diversity goals. Virtual job fairs are a key component in bringing together companies looking for employees and job seekers.  Virtual versions of job fairs do not take away any component that ensures the quality of the on-site event, but it takes away the obstacle of geographical location.

We want to briefly assess the main benefits of hosting job fairs online before we head to the main necessities of creating a successful virtual job fair. The obvious reason for hosting virtual job fairs is the hefty price of venues, logistics and administrative planning to host the job fair in person. Next, is low attendance due to people’s inability to travel far from their homes for a short-term event and all the expenses of the travel in general.

On the other hand, it is hard to measure the success and effectiveness of the on-site event because there is insufficient talent acquisition due to the hardship of control of the overall job fair.

To make sure virtual job fairs are a success, it is important to gather information properly but also to send out proper information so the right candidates apply for the job.

There are many features that distinguish virtual job fairs from onsite job fairs and we will start with recruitment efficiency.

Recruitment efficiency with virtual job fairs:

The first thing needed to establish is the common ground between companies and job seekers. It is essential to share detailed information with each other. A key priority of virtual job fairs is to avoid slow paper-based applications. Paper CVs and cover letters are unnecessary. The reason why virtual job fairs are more efficient than traditional processes is “CV search features”. Virtually companies can filter applications based on their selected criteria for each job. Recruitments happen much faster due to interviewing only “top priority candidates”.First, properly select criteria for each job position and share information in a timely manner. In this way, potential employees have time to update their CVs and prepare for interviews.

Easy information exchange with virtual job fairs:

Hosting virtual job fairs gives companies the opportunity to share all important information with everyone equally. It is essential to have all brochures, videos, pictures, presentations and other materials prepared ahead of time. The more information job seekers have about the company, the more engaged they will be. Attendees of virtual job fairs can use chat, video call or call functions to network and share information making the virtual job fair highly informative. There are one-on-one meetings to ensure the quality, privacy and feel of proper job interviews. Virtual job fairs allow sharing and gathering of information between companies and potential employees without the unnecessary carbon footprint.

Company (employer) branding:

Hosting virtual job fairs provides the opportunity for potential employers to have branded booths for their company. These are customised booths with unique company branding. They replicate the real-life objectives of the enterprise. Booths are used to share additional documents, videos, brochures, power points and so on.  It is recommended that companies create their own branded booths so they can stand out amongst other potential employers. Booths allow future employees to network with various companies and nurture potential business collaborations. Virtual job fairs allow complete transformation and engagement opportunities between employees and employers. Use the virtual job fair as a connection to later real-life partnerships.

Ensure “no logistics”:

In-person job fairs, long queues and overcrowded venues can be a huge hassle and it can drive away potential employees. On the other hand, virtual job fairs have booths for each company and a live chat function to network and share information. This way of hosting events doesn’t take away the quality of the event but makes networking much easier and faster. Companies can use the technology to do quick interviews so they can screen all potential employees.

In addition, having a virtual job fair is a great time-saver because you do not have to plan the onsite event for months ahead. All you do is share your event online for potential employees to register or e-mail invitations to all potential job seekers. The good thing is unlimited capacity, hence the higher chance of finding a good candidate for the job. With the use of email and social media marketing, candidates’ registration for the event will be much faster. Also, the list of candidates is available in the company data set immediately.

Guidance during the virtual job fairs event:

To ensure smooth usage of virtual events for everyone, prior to the live event, attendees should have an event schedule and user guide. The user guide is used for information and navigation of the event. It also explains various event tools and features.  It is important to make attendees aware of all the resources available for them to use, view and download prior to the event. Having all sources available before the live event makes the job interview quick and easy.

Post-event performance:

The outcome and success of the event are just as important as setting up the event successfully. The first advantage of virtual job fairs is that every aspect of it is easy to measure and download.  CV uploads are fast and a number of views and attendees are momentarily available. With the information gathered post the event you can access all the insight and incorporate it into your next virtual job fair. Metrics will help guide you through audience behaviour and this can be especially valuable for event marketing.

Feedback surveys are also a great way to collect insight into the event and to guide you through the event.

Final thoughts:

To conclude, to ensure the quality of virtual job fairs,  it is imperative to set clear goals for the event. Take advantage of customisation of the booths so all companies are easily distinguished. Event promotion is essential so you can tap into the global pool of potential employees. Since you are not limited by geographical obstacles you can engage with a much larger spectre of talent. After the event, it is important to analyse all the data from potential employees. See how they engaged with the companies, how much data was downloaded and save the data for future events. Understand, explore and improve networking between employees and companies.