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Job fairs are a valuable opportunity for HR leaders to connect with top talent and showcase their company's culture and career opportunities. There are several emerging trends HR leaders should be excited about implementing at their next event, whether it's digital or in-person. These trends not only enhance the candidate experience but also streamline the hiring process and improve the effectiveness of outreach efforts.
Below, 15 Forbes Human Resources Council members explore exciting job fair trends, such as virtual career fairs with interactive booths, AI-powered candidate screening tools, gamified assessments and personalized candidate engagement strategies.
1. Hosting In-Person Meet-And-Greets
There are no shortcuts to spending the time to hire right. Old-school offline methods have their bottlenecks but the promise of AI has yet to yield truly fruitful hiring solutions. The more organizations build ties with candidates virtually through newsletters and webinars and in-person through job talks and meet-and-greet events, the more hiring teams will be positioned to win key talent. - Gregory Pontrelli, Lausanne Business Solutions
2. Involving Current Employees
We have plans to include some of our hourly production associates in our recruiting fairs. We believe strongly that our people are our best asset when it comes to showing our diversity and our culture and giving a warm, welcoming approach to potential candidates. - Cathy Smith, Fairfield Chair Co.
3. Implementing VR And AR To Engage Potential Candidates
Our team is most excited about implementing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies at our next hiring or outreach event. VR and AR are being used to create a unique, immersive experience for candidates. They can simulate real-world scenarios, provide virtual tours of the workspace and or allow candidates to engage with interactive content. - Domonique Revere, Ph.D., Adjaye Associates
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4. Learning AI Uses From Others
I am very excited about learning more about how AI can engage with employees. From natural language processing, speech analysis, automatic dictation and scheduling, there is so much to learn about and how it may change the very way business will engage. - Jessica Wallen, Marten Law
5. Speed Interviewing Candidates
With the attendance at job fairs growing, I am most excited about speed interviewing. I always feel that I miss awesome candidates due to the lack of time. Speed interviewing allows me to quickly build rapport, get an overview of skills and experience and start the conversation. This will be especially important for passive future hires in hard-to-fill roles. - Nakisha Dixon, Vercara
6. Creating A Short List Of Candidates
In our digital world, in-person events are more powerful than ever. Schedule quarterly or bi-annual networking mixers moderated by the company's recruiting lead and designed to collect a short list of expert professionals' names who have gathered to discuss a topic of interest. This informal approach allows first-hand exposure to passive candidates' knowledge or experience for use at a moment of need. - Laci Loew, XpertHR (a division of LexisNexis)
7. Hosting Invite-Only Events
Our company hosts a few fairs each year. Our job fairs are a little different. They are invitation-only events and more like a speed dating scenario. We have hired around 65 to 80 people (only inviting 125 candidates) and our retention is around 98%. Quick interviews, quick hires and long-term tenure equals increased revenue, goals being achieved and great culture. - Ryan Tofte, BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy, A Carelon Company, Elevance Health
8. Including Staff At All Levels
Offering the opportunity for all roles to participate in recruiting events is a win-win. Potential candidates can meet different levels of employees at the company, and the employees can test drive recruiting and see the importance of developing and maintaining a talent pipeline. - Maria Leggett, AvidXchange
9. Personalizing The Job Fair Experience For Attendees
Virtual job fairs are a growing trend based on the broad reach and open access for all that are interested in attending. Use that benefit and then empower AI to personalize the experience for each attendee and also simplify the follow-up with automation, allowing a hiring team to clearly select the fair attendees that are the best fit for the job. Virtual fairs are the way to go. - Jess Elmquist, Phenom
10. Marketing Through LinkedIn Live
I’m interested in using LinkedIn Live events to market and promote upcoming job fairs. We have used this method to promote job openings and had good results. Holding a live broadcast such as a talk show or panel discussion not only informs prospective candidates of the job fair but also allows them to ask questions in real-time and interact with employees and recruiters prior to the event. - John Feldmann, Insperity
11. Creating Connections From Hands-On Workshops
I love hands-on learning experiences and workshops that organically bring in key talent to network with for potential jobs or other opportunities but are not blatantly recruiting events. That way, candidates walk away with increased knowledge in a certain area and the opportunity to expand their network. Recruiters walk away with connections that are engaged, motivated and eager to learn more. Both parties win. - Halai Shukran, Pluribus Digital
12. Building Buzz Online
Build pre-event buzz to pique the interest of job candidates who may be thinking about attending your event! Give early bird access to info sessions, position overviews and leader fireside chats! - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal
13. Collaborating With Marketing On Video
I love the concept of working with some talented folks in marketing to create a fantastic video highlighting the best features of our company. People are so used to short-format videos through platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok, so they’re likely to engage, even if it’s something sent virtually. - Lisa Shuster, iHire
14. Inviting Nontraditional Candidates
One exciting approach is inviting or seeking out nontraditional populations at hiring events. Outreach events are a valuable opportunity to interact with unconventional candidates, such as those without a degree or who are returning to the workforce after an extended break. While these candidates might not stand out in online applications, their skills and personality can shine in person. - Niki Jorgensen, Insperity
15. Using The AI-Powered (Survey) Matching Tool
I am excited about the AI-powered matching tool. Candidates can answer a short survey, and the system will create a personalized list of job opportunities and relevant company contacts based on their skills and preferences. This focused method simplifies the process, by fostering significant connections and aiding both applicants and the company in identifying the ideal match more efficiently. - Siddharth Sharma, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
