How to Host a Virtual Career Fair in 4 Easy Steps

In 2022 physical career fairs are a thing of the past! Recent events have revealed the disadvantages of conventional career fairs, and we've found a brand-new, ground-breaking strategy for attracting and hiring top talent: virtual career fairs.

The benefits of virtual career fairs are numerous. One of them is that they provide companies the chance to speak with many candidates from different parts of the world in one spot. They are particularly helpful for businesses that cannot afford to host an in-person event and those employing out-of-town personnel.

How do virtual career fairs work?

The answer to that question is simple. A virtual career fair looks just like a career fair in real life, but it takes place online with the help of a virtual career fair software.

A virtual career fair software allows you to design an interactive and user-friendly virtual world. The platform can contain many exciting information and features, like video greetings and introductions from company representatives, which makes the experience more personal, and the audience more involved. Your exhibitors (i.e. various organizations) can create branded profiles where the job seekers learn more about the company, take surveys, or engage in conversation with company representatives. On the other hand, the participants can create eye-catching profiles with their CVs and other information the event organizer might require in the registration. The company and participant profiles are also connected to the job board of the event and the various opportunities the companies have posted.

But first, you’re probably wondering how to successfully organize a virtual career fair. This guide will show you the ropes in 4 easy steps.

1. Create a career fair planning checklist

Virtual job fairs do not appear out of thin air. Proper planning is a vital first step in organizing a successful event. Make your planning easier by compiling a career fair planning checklist. Some elements to consider are the anticipated number of attendees, the personnel, additional software, the pricing of your virtual career fair platform, the businesses and recruitment agencies you’ll collaborate with, and the resources you’ll prepare for the event. After defining everything you require for your virtual career fair, the final step is to set a budget.

2. Choose your virtual career fair platform

Taking all that into account, hosting a career fair might appear scary, especially if it’s your first time hosting one. That’s why it’s crucial to use a good virtual career fair platform! When choosing the most appropriate virtual career fair solution, you should pay attention to the target audience for your event and the features that will be beneficial and necessary to its success, such as customer service, customization choices, interactive tools, security, and analytics.

There are two different types of virtual career fair software available. The simpler ones consist of a website with chat windows, where visitors speak with recruiters at a designated time. Organizations that wish to establish their brand, make an impression, and incorporate more features, such as an information center, booths and educational webcasts will choose more powerful tools for virtual career fairs.

The b2match online career fair platform includes features such as a job board, where companies can publish searchable job posts that can be enriched with files, images, and videos, company pages that allow companies to create their page and entice job seekers and applicant profiles, which enable job seekers to create and customize their profile to attract potential employers.

By using the b2match platform, virtual event networking has never been easier! To find the best match, b2match uses AI-powered matchmaking. Both businesses and applicants can utilize the search function and filters to get in touch or schedule any type of in-person, hybrid or virtual B2B meeting they desire.

3. Virtual booths

The virtual career fairs function much like traditional career fairs, for example there might be virtual booths for job seekers to obtain information, speak with recruiters and employees, and network with other applicants. The characteristics of your booths will vary based on the virtual career fair platform you're using and, to some extent, the kind of careers being represented. The b2match virtual booths are dedicated exhibitor rooms which online visitors can join impromptu and where they can start the career fair event matchmaking. The virtual booths will not be found in the agenda, as they are not event sessions per se. They are a replica of a real life booth, where a representative is available for providing information and answering participants' questions.

Additionally, b2match offers you to set up other event components like videos, info packages, live streams of guest speakers, and meeting rooms for in-depth interviews.

4. Promote your event

Similar to a traditional career fair, the main obstacle is convincing the right people to come. Even the most engaging event won't ensure registrations until people are aware of it. This necessitates marketing throughout the whole event, from pre-event preparations to post-event summaries.

Before the event, you should unquestionably promote your virtual career fair using social media platforms, PR channels, email campaigns, and joint advertising with other businesses. To advertise your job fair, try using integrated marketing campaigns and a variety of marketing tools to reach as many people as possible. Also, you could want to make marketing toolkits for partners and exhibitors and ask them to promote the event. This will reduce your workload, and you'll be able to reach more people.

Engaging your attendees is essential during the event. You may set push notifications to remind your recruiters to look through the participant list and schedule interviews with qualified applicants. Job applicants can be reminded via emails to upload their CVs and make eye-catching participant profiles.

You may assess the performance of your virtual career fair using data analytics software but getting input directly from partners and job seekers is preferable. Ask them to share their favorite aspects of the event and suggestions for improving it. Don't forget to communicate with applicants who were in contact with your recruiters. Reach out to any possible applicants who haven't applied yet or who might have more questions using the contact information the recruiters have obtained.

It goes without saying that for a successful virtual career fair you need reliable software that keeps your event going. b2match provides you with all the resources required to set up a virtual job fair, including a dedicated customer success manager who will ensure that your event is ahead of the game. Don't hesitate, contact us now.