If you’ve ever searched for a job, chances are you will have seen virtual career events and job fairs before so you will have noticed that there are events that cater to everyone. Whether you’re looking for an internship, full-time work, returning to work after a pause, or ready to make a career pivot, you will want to ensure you set your goals before the event.
The good news is, preparing for a virtual career fair is very similar to preparing for a virtual job interview. Doing your research upfront will make a big difference.
Depending on the structure of the career fair, you may have the opportunity to schedule one-on-one time with a recruiter or hiring manager or participate in a group networking session where you could have a chance to speak. This is a good time for you to ask questions, but you also want to be ready to introduce yourself with a clear and effective summary. At Allora Collective, we recommend that you create an elevator pitch before the event so that you make a strong impression from the start.
When you are invited for an interview, you need to tailor your elevator pitch by emphasizing specific details about your achievements that are relevant examples from your career and support your candidacy for the job. This will help demonstrate that you are a qualified candidate for the role they are considering you for.
Do your research before the event and prepare a list of questions. Think about what is important for you and ask specific questions. Do not waste time asking questions about something you could have easily found on the company’s careers page, on their blog or by searching the internet. For example, if you’re looking to understand whether X company provides internal training opportunities, then your question might look like this: “Can you provide examples of training that employees in your department have recently completed”? If you found content on their careers page or blog about their internal training, then mention it in your question and adapt it to something like this… “I read about internal training opportunities that support career growth on your blog and would love it if you could share an example of someone on your team, a colleague or maybe a time when you experienced that program and how it helped you.”
We also provide more useful tips in this blog article.
Remember, companies attend virtual career fairs to find talent. They make time to be there to attract talent and build on their talent acquisition program, so being prepared and asking relevant questions can help you get noticed and create a connection for a foot in the door.
Make notes of speakers and attendees and connect with them on LinkedIn after the event. Perhaps you noticed a job on their careers page that you’re interested in applying for, or you’ve identified someone who could be a peer to you working at that company you’re targeting. Make sure you mention the online event when you reach out to them. If you can’t send them a direct message on LinkedIn, then send them an invite to connect and use the ‘add a note’ feature to include a short message. Be specific in your message, mention the event, and thank them for making time to attend the event. Even better if you can refer to a topic they discussed or something specific you heard them say. When they accept your invitation to connect, do not wait for them to reply, consider their acceptance a reply and send them a ‘thank you for connecting with me!’ Sometimes people don’t see or read the message before accepting it.
Last but definitely not least, you want to make sure that your tech is working correctly. Check your camera, and practice with Zoom, Teams, or whatever tools you will be using before the interview. Make sure your background is clean and presentable or blur it using the features in the app’s preferences. Get a ring light if necessary but any light source you have should be in front of your face, not behind you. Remember to look at the camera when you speak so that you are actively engaged in the conversation. Be comfortable and don’t be afraid to use your hands when you talk if that’s who you are. If you want to take notes in a notebook and may look down to do so (especially in interviews) tell the interviewer at the beginning that you have a notebook (show it to them) and explain that you might take a few notes during the conversation.
Overall, online events and video interviews have similarities and differences but deserve some preparation and practice. Keep in mind that any pitch you create for a career event can also be used for an interview and sometimes you can use them in a referral or introduction request. Your work will not be a waste of time if it is about you, your career experience, and your goals. Don’t be afraid to ask for help either.
The most successful people in the world get help, and your career is as important as theirs so practice and prepare. You can ask a colleague or friend to practice with you, read your work, or find professional support.
At Allora Collective, our team of coaches helps people create, edit and practice their pitches, job search networking communications, and interviewing skills every day. Sometimes it’s an interview, sometimes it’s pitching yourself for a promotion. In every case, we are always here to help.
