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Free Online Job Fair Feb. 3, 2009

I recently came across a press release announcing an upcoming virtual career fair and thought I’d pass this along in case we have any techies out there looking for a job. VisualCV, Inc. and eJobFairs.net announced yesterday that they will host an online career fair on February 3rd of this year. They’re saying they already have more than 20 employers and recruiters who will offer a range of positions within the high tech sector. I would bet there will be more recruiting firms than anything else, but it may be worth checking out anyway. 

The event will take place from 10am to 3pm EST on Tuesday 3rd February. To register for the online job fair visit www.visualcvjobfairs.com. Participation is free for job seekers however candidates are required to have a VisualCV, which is also free and can be created at www.visualcv.com.

According to Jason Vrane, Vice President of Client Services for Complete Career Network Inc.,”These live and fully interactive job fairs are not virtual, they are real events where job seekers and employers meet and interview one-on-one with each other in real time.” 

IT and technology companies like Graham Staffing, Hoffman CFO, Mansonboro Partners, Motley Fool, Nextforce, Proxy Personnel, Rosetta, SportsPlex, The Heiden Group, and The Richmond Group are already signed up for the eJobFair, using their own company VisualCV as a way to communicate why they are a great place to work and list the vacant positions they are seeking to fill. 

If you participate in this career fair, please come back and give us your feedback. If you find this helpful we will include more articles about virtual career fairs on the GradtoGreat.com web site and updates about when these events take place in our newsletter. 

Recent Graduates More Likely to Find Jobs Before Leaving Campus

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), when employers rate the effectiveness of recruiting methods for college graduates, they rank the following as their top 10: 

1. On-campus recruiting
2. Organization’s internship program
3. Employee referrals
4. Organization’s co-op program
5. Career/job fairs
6. Faculty contacts
7. Job postings on the company web site
8. Job postings on the campus web site
9. Student organizations/clubs
10. Job postings on commercial web sites

Notice that the top five preferred recruiting methods involve some degree of face-to-face interaction between the job applicant and the company. This means you need to get in front of the person who is making the hiring decision, preferably well in advance of graduation time. And forget about the job boards since simply posting your resume online is highly unlikely to yield positive results in the current job market.

 Now, more than ever, it is critical that college seniors and recent graduates do the following three things:

1. Learn how to network properly and start now
2. Visit your on campus career center often and get to know the staff there
3. Start your job search early (3 months is optimal)

Read full article here.

All I Want for Christmas is a Job!

If you’re still looking for a job – and you probably are with unemployment over 8% – network, network, network over the holidays! Make it a point to tell people about your job search at holiday parties and family gatherings.

Be authentic when you meet new people and be honest about your skills and work experience.

Look for ways that you can help others. Networking is a two way street. It’s not just a “what’s in it for me” proposition. The most successful networkers are those that focus on mutually beneficial relationships. Maybe you know of a way you can help someone else who may in turn be able to help you get a job. Of course, we’re not promoting “pay to play” tactics here. If someone offers you the Illinois Senate seat over the holidays…well, that’s a topic for a different blog!

A tip for networking at holiday parties. Don’t carry so many things around with you that you can’t hand out your business card easily. Don’t carry too many drinks, bags, etc.

Always be looking for ways to expand your network and be sure to maintain it throughout your career.

For more advice about networking successfully at the beginning of your career, check out our book or web site.

Happy Holidays!

Networking vs. Online Job Boards

Let’s explore the pro’s and con’s of networking vs. online job boards when conducting your job search.

In this economic downturn, the job market favors employers. HR Managers do not need to spend their time sifting through hundreds of online applications when most of them are already being contacted directly by qualified candidates within their own networks. Over 70% of jobs are acquired through personal contacts. Less than 2% of jobs are found through online job sites. I think you’ll find less desirable job postings being advertised with the major online job sites. 

You’ll get better results if you spend the majority of your job search energy tapping into your network of professors, contacts from past internships, friends, parents, coaches, part-time jobs, etc. The downside of networking…not sure how to do this? Read more about building up your network.

What about the pro’s of an online job search? Job sites can be highly beneficial if you use them to your advantage. Meaning, don’t just submit resumes for the posted positions. Consider the company as a whole. Is it someplace you would like to work? If so, find a way to get in front of the hiring manager and let them know. Are they offering career fairs on your campus, in your city, at a neighboring college or location?

Find out who the contact person is. If it’s not listed on the job description page, go directly to the companies web site and search there. Still can’t find a name? Call the company and ask for the HR department, or simply ask who the HR manager is. Sometimes it may be a department manager that you need to send your resume to. Just do your research and get the email address and correct spelling of their name. Sending your resume to a specific person will always get you noticed faster than someone who simply addresses their cover letter to “HR Respresentative of job #366374.” 

Consider the following questions when searching job sites?

1. Does one company have lots of openings? For example, 2-5 pages seem to be devoted entirely to their positions. There could be a few reasons for this and you need to determine which it is. 

a. They have so much turnover they always have these jobs posted. This usually occurs with low paying or commission only based sales positions, volunteer positions, and other hard to fill positions. 

b. It’s a recruiting firm that is simply listing hypothetical jobs. They’ll ask you to come in and fill out a ton of paperwork, take typing tests, and then they get paid if they find you a job. For entry level applicants fresh out of college, you’ll usually get stuck with temp work or low paying admin type jobs. 

c. It’s a new company and really does have several opportunities available. (Not likely in this current economy)