While organizing 4 job fairs in different states this month, I've been keenly aware of our need to differentiate our events from the rest. When it comes right down to it, all that really matters is that local job seekers find good opportunities, and the local employers who exhibit connect with high quality local candidates. Sounds simple, hunh?

Actually, it really is. When we hosted events earlier this year and last fall, we were able to get a much higher quality of job seeker than we usually see at other fairs. We send out tips to seekers to ensure they have access to the info they need to be prepared, and we make sure we only allow real employers at our events, no multi level marketing or up front investment opportunities.

We also collect have job seekers pre-register and have them fill out surveys to help us, and the exhibitors, prepare to make the event special. We provide this info to the employers in a ppt, and ask them to be sure to pay attention to this information to best prepare for the career fair.

I just got an email from one of the job seekers who we sent updates to, and this person raised a very good point. He, I don't have the name in front of me, but I think it was a he, had recently gone to another event, where he travelled 90 miles round trip to find opportunities. He was surprised that there weren't actually any decision makers staffing the booths- only lower level employees. That's a very important point. The people staffing the booths, promoting these companies as the employers of choice, and trying attract the best possible talent, were lower level inexperienced employees for the most part.

Wow. That doesn't seem to make sense does it? If the whole point is making face to face connections and prescreening candidates why not send the hiring managers? I'm throwing this out to the blogosphere- have employers become so jaded of face to face events like this, that they merely use it as a way to collect resumes only? Is this the best practice?