Physical Job Fair vs Virtual Job Fair

Every day, more and more businesses are shifting to the online world. Job fairs are no exception to that. Virtual job fairs have gained popularity over the past few years, but they are now, more than ever, the go-to method for bringing together job searchers and recruiters. The question is, why have virtual job fairs gained in popularity?

There is no denying that there are numerous benefits of job fairs. But what about the benefits of hosting a job fair with the help of virtual job fair technology?

In this article, we analyzed four main differences between onsite and virtual job fairs.

Hybrid or virtual job fair technology

The main difference between a physical job fair and a virtual one is the type of student recruitment technology the events use. A virtual job fair uses a virtual job fair software to create an engaging and user-friendly virtual environment where potential employees can learn more about the companies they are interested in, contact them, and arrange a meeting in just a few clicks!

The b2match hybrid job fair platform offers you features that ensure you will successfully organize your physical, virtual, or hybrid job fair with ease. This all-in-one job fair platform offers a virtual event solution that features matchmaking sessions, high-speed streaming, live-stage integration, built-in ticketing, and online payment, as well as quick chat and messaging.

The platform consists of applicant profiles, which allow job seekers to create and customize their profile to appeal to potential employers, company pages, which allow companies to create their page and entice job seekers, and job boards, where businesses can publish searchable job posts that can be enhanced with files, images, and videos.

The platform gives you the option the set up virtual booths so that companies can more easily introduce themselves to possible employees, and set up tools like videos, info packages, virtual tours, live broadcasts of guest speakers, and meeting rooms for in-depth interviews.

Talent pool

Virtual career fairs make it easier for businesses to collect data and give statistics while allowing more qualified candidates from a larger candidate pool to network with future employers. Since they are not impacted by inclement weather, high traffic, or structural issues, candidates have far more flexibility regarding when and how they can attend virtual events. A virtual career fair will enable you to connect with qualified people all around the world and grow your candidate pool.

Physical events, on the other hand, can only be held within a geographical area, meaning your number of potential employees is limited. This isn’t just a factor for job seekers; it applies to employers too. If a company doesn’t attend a physical job fair, your candidates can wave the chance of networking with them goodbye.

Event scale and budget

Physical job fairs require a specific venue with a set number of seats available, so not everyone who wants to attend will be able to. It is also, without a doubt, the most expensive part of your event. Your event planner will have to research potential venues, haggle over pricing, and guarantee that the location will be open on the day(s) you want to hold your job fair. Parking is another essential factor to consider if you want to prioritize your guests' comfort. Budgeting for marketing and technological resources (such as stage setup, equipment for keynote speeches, top-notch lighting rigs, projectors, and technical assistance) is also essential when organizing a physical job fair.

The cost of a virtual job fair can vary based on the extent of features, duration, exhibitor participation, and customizations required to match the organizer’s needs. But the good news is you only have to pay the virtual job fair platform provider, thereby cutting the cost of your job fair. Because your virtual job fair is held on a virtual job fair platform, candidates across the world can attend them and connect with valuable contacts.

Accessibility is a key feature that every virtual event must provide. As a result of the venue's lack of accessibility, some candidates may be unable to attend job fairs. The good news is that anyone can partake in a virtual job fair which helps create a more diverse candidate pool. When events are being broadcast live, you may add captions to make them more understandable and available online. These are necessary for individuals who need them to participate, such as deaf or hard-of-hearing users, as well as for people who enjoy watching videos with captions.

Networking at job fairs

Face-to-face interactions are still the most effective and widely accepted form of communication. Nonverbal cues like tone of voice, eye contact, and body language can be lost while speaking via video and chat. Since it fosters relationships, boosts credibility and confidence, and encourages cooperation among participants, in-person communication is typically considered more honest.

Although in-person event networking has its benefits, that doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve the same deal of networking during a virtual event. In fact, virtual event networking is more streamlined and faster than in-person.

The b2match virtual job fair platform focuses on event networking and offers a range of adaptable solutions that boost the number of meetings and connect employers with the best candidates. Chats, integrated video meetings, branded corporate pages, extensive participant profiles, and a job board with recruiter offers are just a small handful of its features. The AI Meeting Recommender will assist your participants in finding the right match by utilizing machine learning algorithms that analyze a large amount of data to provide each user with intriguing profiles. As a result, engagement rises, and the interviews are of excellent quality.

Event analytics and data

The performance of the physical career fair is difficult to evaluate due to the lack of easily available statistics. Asking the participants, which can be challenging, is the only way to know whether a job fair was successful.

However, a virtual job fair software allows you to keep track of every attendee and observe how they interact with one another. The software gives you access to its in-depth post-event analytics report. The best way to know if your event was a success is to hear from your attendees. You can use social media and email to thank attendees, partners, and everyone who took part to increase awareness, establish credibility, and grow your following. You may learn important lessons about what worked effectively by sending out follow-up surveys once the job fair ended, which will help you to repeat and improve it in the future. By asking the appropriate post-event evaluation questions, they also give a sneak preview of areas that need improvement.

As you can see, there are many differences between organizing an onsite or virtual job fair. If you are not sure what type of event will suit your needs best, think about using the best of both worlds by organizing a hybrid job fair with the help of professional event management technology which will make event organizing easier and more efficient for you.