CAREERS NOW 03-29-09

Idea: a Do-it-Yourself Job Fair

DEAR JOYCE: Following my successful sales career of 20-plus years - and after answering online ads from virtually all of the job boards and doing some networking - I've been getting limited response to my search for new employment in this era of urgent economic challenge.

That's what inspired me to try the idea of looking for a job by having a job fair of my own and inviting my entire community. Your readers might enjoy reading about how you can take lemons and turn them into lemonade. - Steve Kaye, Boca Raton, Fla.

What an impressive idea! Using his strong organizational, managerial and sales skills, Kaye recently set up a two-day job fair on the campus of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. His cash outlay was minimal: A creative thinker and persuasive presenter, Kaye arranged to get the fair funded by area social service agencies.

The goal of the fair's impresario wasn't to stage a crowd scene, but instead to construct an up-close-and-personal connection event for no more than a few hundred people with a couple of dozen quality companies - a setting where employers could get a handle on candidates' skills and competencies. Nineteen companies attended the community job fair.

A FEW DETAILS. After coming up with the idea, Kaye wrote and presented a proposal to such area nonprofit organizations as the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, and the Workforce Alliance of Palm Beach County. Each participating group enthusiastically suggested ideas that made his "business plan" even better.

The job fair, a two-pronged event, was free to all comers. The first day's program was held on a Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Promoted in the community as a career information day, the program featured volunteer career coaches, who offered a number of candidate readiness programs,. These included resume-writing guidance, interviewing tips, and advice on marketing crossover skills from one industry or career field to another.

Baby-sitting services were provided and related subject experts, such as bankruptcy specialists, were available for consultation. Some 160 job seekers showed up.

The job fair's second day was staged two weeks later on a Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Approximately 400 people circulated among company exhibits and tables that volunteers helped to set up and break down.

The outcome of the community job fair sparked by Kaye: The final hiring count won't be complete for several months, but four attendees have already found jobs. Kaye himself is in talks with several prospective employers.

JOB FAIR TIPS. Building your own job fair is too big a challenge for most people but, as an attendee, you can take thoughtful steps to improve your results.

-- When a floor plan of employer exhibits is available, use it to prioritize the companies where you'd most like to work. Visit them first. And then visit them again toward the end of the event. You want to be remembered.

-- Generic (one size fits all) resumes are weak sisters when compared to custom resumes that do the initial work for employers by matching their requirements with your qualifications. But generic resumes usually are the best you can do when facing an employer for the first time at a job fair.

Generics are okay for routine jobs, but for responsible-level jobs, they're at a disadvantage. Upon experiencing a spark of interest from an employer, ask for a position description for an open job you may want. Later, analyze it line-by-line and craft a custom resume to forward to the individual you met at the fair.

Alternatively, if you're not singled out at a coveted employer's booth, pick up the company literature. At home, check the company's Web site. Take your best guess at customizing your resume to the company's needs for a specific position and send it via e-mail, commenting in a cover note that you were at the fair but time was too short for a conversation, and request an interview.

-- Preparing for a follow-up, and to bypass a company's spam filters, always try to get a business card from an employer's representative and ask for permission to contact the rep if you have questions. You may not score, and the rep may be out of the hiring loop, but you'll never know unless you ask.

-- For hiring fairs near you, search online for "upcoming job fairs."

Email Joyce
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