It's a way to speed up hiring process, says expert, in 'meeting so many people in such a short time frame'
As employers look to find talent that best suits their needs, they should consider trying their hand at job fairs.
That’s because employers get to meet a large pool of applicants, says Saj Anwar, managing director at Hire Canada.
“It's a great way to cast a wider net to find qualified candidates,” he says in talking with Canadian HR Reporter.
“With job fairs in general, you're getting a way to speed up your hiring process because you're meeting so many people in such a short time frame. Also, it's a great place to identify top talent. Because you are meeting people face to face, you have that interaction so you can actually view their social skills and understand the type of communication skills that they have, and also get a feel of their personality.”
More than half (52 per cent) of employers plan to create new permanent positions, while 41 per cent intend to fill vacated roles in the second half of 2024, according to a previous report from Robert Half.
Job fairs also give employers opportunities to promote their brand, says Anwar.
“They may not even be hiring right now, but they want candidates to know about them and to let them know that they might be hiring in the future. So, a lot of companies come out just to promote their organization.”
Employers can also do market research to find out about trends and candidates' preferences during these events, he says.
Finding employment in Canada is becoming a bigger challenge, and those who currently do not have jobs are losing confidence they’ll be employed soon, according to a previous Indeed report.
Treat job fairs as networking opportunities
To maximize job fairs, employers must treat these events as networking opportunities, says Anwar.
“There are a lot of applicants out there who may not know about their organization or who may not know how to create a good enough resume so that a recruiter can actually catch it online. When applicants do come in, they get that face-to-face interaction with these employers, and they may have the skill set, but their resume may not show it.
“So networking is definitely a huge thing.”
At some job fairs, it’s common for employers to be surprised to find candidates whose resumes they simply missed, and when they speak with the person, they’re the “perfect fit,” he says.
Hire Canada is hosting a Job Fair & Training Expo on Sept. 24 at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton, ON.
Canadian employers are increasingly hiring “underqualified” staff, and suffering costly consequences, according to a previous Robert Walters report.
