Greenwood Job Fair…an article from GwdToday.com
A local human resources representative who will be attending the Upper Savannah Regional Job Fair on April 28 looks forward to the event because employers and job seekers have a chance to really connect, he said.
“The face-to-face meeting brings with it a power and advantage that a simple letter or resume cannot produce,” said the HR representative of a large local company which requested that he not be identified.
“There can be no substitute for your own personal presentation in which you have all of the verbal and nonverbal tools available to use in convincing the employer to give you more of their time,” he said.
“However, the power of a personal meeting can work for ill as often as good if the job seeker is not properly prepared.”
Job seekers and employers who are hiring or will be hiring within the next four months will have the opportunity to meet April 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Greenwood Mall.
The semi-annual fair typically draws at least 50 employers from the general area of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry and Saluda counties as well as more than a thousand job seekers.
Employers are encouraged to attend whether they have one job opening or 50.
Several local companies have had much success hiring at the Upper Savannah fair, including the unnamed HR representative. Success stories start with job seekers who are dressed appropriately and are prepared.
“The individuals who make a positive impression for me during a job fair are those who dress appropriately for the event, speak clearly and confidently and shake hands with enthusiasm, have an accurate updated resume ready to give to me, and have an ‘elevator speech’ prepared.”
He said the job seeker doesn’t necessarily need a suit and tie.
“The candidate should dress a step above the position in which they are interested,” he said. “For example, if the candidate is seeking a position as a production worker where he or she will wear jeans or a uniform to work, then the appropriate interview attire is a nice pair of pants and a shirt with a collar. Other job fair interactions may require a higher level of dress if the job requires it.”
Enthusiasm is crucial, he said.
“I like to see candidates with a little bit of spark. This does not have to be over the top – just enough to show me that speaking to someone from our company about employment is important to them.”
He said job seekers must come prepared.
“There is no excuse for attending a job fair without an updated resume or without enough copies, particularly understanding the wonderful employment resources available within our State and local community,” he said, specifically referring to the One-Stop Workforce System with satellite offices in each county.
An elevator speech, often referred to as a one-minute commercial that sells your skills, is an effective strategy, he said.
“I appreciate those candidates who approach me with a brief summary of their situation and employment interest,” he said. “This should be a 60 – 90 second introduction that includes the person’s name, current employment situation and desired type of employment.
“It is in this short delivery that the candidate can hand me their resume for further reference. This shows organization, preparedness and communication ability on the part of the job seeker along with presenting the employer with key information up front.”
Those are the good behaviors and preparation methods. For every good move, there are equally as many bad impression risks.
“There are several types of behavior that will almost ensure that I will not be following up with you at all, such as sloppy or immodest dress that shows no concern for the professionalism of the event or for even decorum in general,” he said.
“Slouching, mumbling and staring at the floor are not interesting and could be construed as indicating laziness. If the candidate acts lazy and sluggish during the job fair, how would the employer expect them to act on the job?”
“Pushiness, interruptions and other inappropriately aggressive behavior” are also turnoffs, he said.
“I like tenacious, determined people, but I do not like a resume shoved in my face, particularly if it is at the expense of job seekers who are patiently waiting their turn,” he said.
“Resumes that are dirty, wrinkled, hard to read, or in otherwise poor physical shape stand out just long enough for me to shred them. I also am not pleased with the job seeker who has one resume. Don’t approach my booth until you have visited the copy room and have some resumes to distribute.
“Worse yet, if you don’t have a resume, how am I supposed to remember you? It is not appropriate to expect me to write down your contact information for you.”
Conversation needs to be kept to a minimum and to the point, he said.
“In a typical job fair, I will speak with dozens of people. Some I may choose to engage longer than others. In the job fair setting, I am not interested in hearing someone’s life story unless I ask for it. This is not meant to be condescending or prideful. My point is that some candidates will talk you to death unless you make them stop.
“These types of individuals do not have well-developed sense of conversational savvy, a trait I definitely want to see particularly in candidates for leadership positions. It is not a cardinal sin, but in my estimation starting the job fair encounter with “What jobs are you hiring for?” is not a strong beginning.”
