Attending a job fair or professional networking convention is a great way for job seekers and employers to connect on potential openings. As employers and job seekers increasingly look for ways to maximize their ability to source and evaluate talent, employers are signing up for virtual job fairs to connect with more applicants and job seekers than ever before, especially during recent events that forced everyone to think creatively when it came to their job search.
If you find that you’re a recent grad or are looking for new job opportunities, virtual job fairs are a great way for you to connect with potential recruiters and employers, like Results Physiotherapy! We’ve created a helpful guide to help you understand what a virtual job fair looks like and some key takeaways that will help you find success at your next virtual job fair with Results Physiotherapy.
Virtual job fairs are one of the more recent advancements in the recruitment industry. Traditionally, most professional networking events or job fairs were done in-person at either a college/university campus, company location, conference center, or other large venue. Virtual job fairs are a great opportunity for a sprint-like atmosphere where recruiters and employers can connect quickly with potential job seekers to inform them about potential job openings, provide a brief overview about company culture, and get candidate details quickly for a follow-up down the road.
With the recent pandemic and other technological advancements, many employers and recruiters are switching to virtual job fairs because it gives them a wide array of benefits. Some of these benefits include the ability to connect with candidates all across the country, streamlined interactions with each client, and more.
Virtual job fairs are all the rage right now, as both employers and job seekers love them. Employers love the ability to connect with candidates from across the country which might have prevented qualified candidates from applying to a position because of the distance or inability to attend an in-person job fair. In addition, job seekers and employers benefit from the added convenience of being able to connect remotely without having to schedule time off work or drive to and from in-person conventions.
Virtual job vairs operate and function differently depending on the platform they’re being hosted on. Depending on the platform, employers and job seekers might get a chance to connect with each individual job seeker one on one or in large rooms with multiple candidates. Some virtual job fair platforms also offer interactive panels, assessments, and other engagement tools to evaluate and connect with candidates quickly.
If you’re looking to join a virtual job fair for the first time, you can expect to connect with multiple employers who are ready to get to know you and all of the qualifications you bring to a potential role with the organization. Some virtual job fairs require that you sign up in advance, so make sure you do your due diligence beforehand to ensure that you get a spot.
Landing your next job opportunity, especially your next physical therapy job, starts with setting yourself up for success when the moment arrives. We’ve identified some key ways in which you can set yourself up for success at your next virtual job fair.
One of the biggest things that you can do to make sure that you set yourself up for success early on is to dress appropriately. Oftentimes, the recruiter, employer, or HR professional will ask you to turn on your camera during the chat or video call. The last thing you want to do is start off on the wrong foot by either dressing inappropriately or telling them that you can’t because you look like you just rolled out of bed.
If you’re worried about figuring out how you should dress, most employers and HR professionals are comfortable with you wearing business casual or business professional during your brief interaction with them during your video call. It never hurts to put your best foot forward, so make sure that you set some time aside the day or night before to figure out what you’re going to wear so you’re not scrambling at the last minute to figure out what to wear.
It’s important that you take strides to update your resume when you’re getting ready for any job search, especially your upcoming virtual job fair. During the virtual job fair, the professionals you interact with will want to hear about your background, your experience, and skill set so they can relate it to the position. Take the time to update your resume and make sure that you have it ready during the call to reference and pre and post-fair to submit when asked.
Some virtual job fairs will request that you submit your resume before the event while others ask that you submit it after if they’d like to move forward or consider you for the position. Regardless, you’ll want to make sure that you take the time to have it ready and updated when the time comes.
When you connect with HR professionals in virtual job fairs, it’s important to remember that they’re meeting dozens of candidates at one time. That’s why you need to focus on making a memorable impression by selling yourself when you connect. Take some time to create a brief elevator pitch on your previous experience, skillset, and why you feel like you’d make a good fit for the organization and the job opening.
One of the things that employers and recruiters are looking for when you’re connecting with them is to hear about your accomplishments. Ideally, each employer and HR professional is looking to connect with you to see if you’d be a good fit for the position, and one of the ways they do this is by evaluating your previous accomplishments. The way in which you showcase that you’d be a good fit for the position is by highlighting a few things, your background, skillset, accomplishments, and most importantly how your previous accomplishments would make you a good fit for the role.
During the virtual job fair, you want to highlight that you’ve been able to accomplish great deeds in a previous role that was similar to the one you’re applying for. If you’re a recent grad or don’t have much experience, then you need to be able to highlight how your academic, internship, or volunteer accomplishments would make you a good fit for the role.
Take a little bit of time as you’re developing your elevator pitch like we mentioned above to work on your ability to tout your accomplishments. Be proud of what you’ve achieved elsewhere and make sure that you can appropriately compare and highlight how those previous accomplishments would make you a valuable asset to a new organization.
Just because you’re in a virtual job fair doesn’t mean that you get to slack off whenever you want. Even though virtual job fairs are a recent advancement and many of us are getting used to them, you still need to take them seriously and behave professionally at all times — which includes getting off your phone and tucking it away where it won’t distract you.
Put your phone away and make sure that the volume is either reduced or turned off so that it doesn’t distract you when you get a text message or notification which could interrupt you or the individual you’re chatting with.
Another important reminder when you’re getting ready for your next virtual job fair is that we can see you. Depending on the platform, you might be assigned to a waiting room until it’s your time to speak. In some cases, the host’s settings might automatically set your camera to on while you wait or during your chat with the employer. Regardless of the scenario, make sure that when you’re sitting in front of a camera that you’re acting professional and assume the individual on the other side can see you. In the same way that you’d put your best foot forward in-person, make sure that you’re behaving appropriately at all times when on camera.
As we’ve highlighted earlier, you’ll typically only have a few minutes to connect with the employer or HR professional during the virtual job fair. That’s why it’s important to do your research on all the open positions with the employer and learn more about the role as much as you can before you connect with them. This way, you can make sure that you set up as much time as you can to properly sell yourself, highlight why you’d be a great fit for the position, and leave enough time for questions you’d like to ask.
Some great ways to set yourself apart from other candidates during the virtual job fair is to make sure that you do your research on the employer, job posting, and the industry in which you’d be working in. Here at Results, we love it when we connect with candidates who are knowledgeable about the physical therapy industry and our focus on patients.
One way that you can set yourself apart from other candidates to show that you’re truly interested in the position is to prepare a few questions beforehand. This is where your research comes into play, and you can create hyper-focused questions that will not only help you evaluate whether or not the position might be a good fit for you and help you get clarification on things that you’re not sure of. Candidates who don’t ask questions during the interview send the message that they’re just not interested in the position, so get a few ready just in case.
We understand that life has its distractions, but try to find a quiet area where you can chat on a video call and make sure that you’re on time. Get everything prepared beforehand; so you can focus all of your time and energy on being productive during the virtual job fair.
Another thing that you want to make sure you do before your virtual job fair is to make sure that you overcome the technical hurdles early. This includes making sure that your camera works properly, you have a reliable internet connection, you can hear and be heard clearly, and lighting isn’t an issue. Spend a day or two before the virtual job fair to make sure that there aren’t any important updates you need to run on your device to ensure that you can connect and interact with others during the virtual job fair uninterrupted.
Another way you can set yourself up for success in your job search is to make sure that you follow up. Depending on the employer, you might be asked to follow up with an email, resume and cover letter submission, or an application. Don’t forget to follow up because it’s a great opportunity for you to reconnect with the organization to learn more about next steps and once again highlight your interest in the job opening.
At Results Physiotherapy, we have hundreds of job openings and positions for job seekers. We’re always on the lookout for qualified talent who are passionate about assisting our patients on getting better, faster. We’ve got positions that are clinical and non-clinical in hundreds of clinics across the country, and remote opportunities. As you’re looking to find your next job opportunity, consider Results Physiotherapy as your next career destination and apply to our job openings, we’d love to connect with you!
