Resources

Virtual Career Fairs: What are the benefits?

COVID-19
Employers
Partners

Virtual career fairs -- like other virtual events -- are gaining traction during COVID-19. With the right tools, technology, and mindset, there are some good reasons companies should look for candidates this way.

Here are some of the major benefits of doing a career fair virtually.

Save money

For an employer, career fairs are a significant cost. There is usually some kind of travel, time away from an office, and the cost of creating and printing marketing and setup materials. When participating virtually, an employer can eliminate travel, most print materials, and physical setup.

Save time

For all the same reasons a virtual career fair saves money, it also saves time. Again, there's no travel and reduced setup. The time that is spent is less focused on setup and more focused on evaluating candidates.

Improve tracking

Because employers are interacting with candidates directly from the virtual career fair platform, it is easier to rate resumes and potential employees. Names, contact information, resumes, and conversations are all being recorded on the platform, making the decision-making process faster and more stream-lined.

Reach more candidates

A virtual career fair makes it possible to engage with previously unreachable candidates -- those already employed and unable to leave work and those geographically too far away at the time of the event. By going virtual, the career fair becomes more accessible to more individuals.

Branding and engagement

Unlike simply putting an ad on a job board, a virtual career fair offers more opportunity for employer branding -- from logo displays in a virtual "lobby" to company messaging in a virtual booth. Every interaction with a candidate at a virtual career fair is an opportunity to communicate a company’s message. 

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Virtual career fairs may not ever entirely replace in-person events, but there are some notable benefits to moving online. It's also a great way to keep each other safe, while attracting and engaging with new talent. 

Being open to change can always help us make improvements to our old processes. This might just be the opportunity we need.