By Eleni Antoniou, Employer Relations Manager, City University London

From the feedback we have collected from students who have attended our fairs here at City over the past 4 years as well as our own experience at the career service, we have put together 7 tips for employers to consider when being at a career fair.
 
1. Be prepared
Students ask lots of questions about application & selection processes and it makes a huge difference if exhibitors are prepared to answer questions about their online application forms, as well as their online tests and assessment centres. Make sure the employees who attend these events are adequately briefed on the different roles and entry routes available at your organisation and are able to talk in detail about the skills and experience you are looking for.

2. Be a face-to-face communicator
Students get frustrated when the answer to all their questions is “you can find that information on our website”. Students attend these events in order to talk to employers face-to-face and find it much more valuable than just browsing through a website.

3. Be enthusiastic
Remember that the students are there to assess the different company cultures and get a feel of the people who work at your organisation. It makes a huge difference to them if they are greeted by people who are enthusiastic about their jobs and keen to talk to them and answer their queries.

4. Be more than one
We advise you to send a combination of HR professionals and recent graduates at these events. HR staff are good at replying to questions about the application and selection process, yet recent graduates can talk about their personal experience of joining the organization – something which students value. By sending a mix of employees you can make sure that all student queries get appropriately answered.

5. Be with university alumni
Students feel more comfortable talking to alumni of their own institution and it helps conversations run smoothly. Speaking to alumni will also encourage students to apply to your organisation, knowing that graduates of their university have been successful in the past.

6. Be with senior management
It will create a very good impression amongst the students who attend the fair, as they will see that senior management has taken the time to attend the event and address their queries. This will set you apart from the other exhibitors.

7. Be able to relax
Careers Fairs usually last around 3-4 hours (some even longer than that). As we are sure a lot of you know already, it is extremely difficult for exhibitors to continually talk to students. Make sure you send enough staff to these events to allow everyone to have regular breaks. Alternatively, you can arrange for your representatives to do 2-hour shifts each. This will definitely keep everyone happy and smiling throughout!

If you would like to get involved on campus at City University London, feel free to visit our site by clicking here