There are a lot of perks to attending a virtual career fair. Not only do they allow you to find opportunities anywhere you can set up your laptop, but they also save you the time and effort it often costs to travel and attend. Plus, they put you a step closer to finding your next career move.
But just because a networking event is online doesn’t mean it won’t require some preparation.
Like a career fair you’d attend in person, the “before” can be just as important as the “during.” Here are eight ways to set yourself up for a successful event:
Prioritize your time
Going into the event, it’s important you know how you’re going to manage your time. You can expect conversations with recruiters to last about three to five minutes, so you’ll want to make the most of each interaction.
Research participating employers
It may be time consuming, but it’s worth it to obtain a list of participating employers before the career fair and determine who piques your interest and what you’re looking for in an organization.
Leading up to the event, conduct light research about the openings, cultures and health systems’ values. It can help you target opportunities you’d like to learn more about and determine which have the most potential.
Know your expectations
It’s crucial that you know your must-haves and your deal breakers when it comes to a future opportunity. If you haven’t already, make a list of what you need in a practice and aspects you’d like to avoid.
Before and after the virtual career fair, referring to this list can help you more quickly and easily spot signs that the position could be your ideal fit or it might not give you what you want.
Make sure your CV is ready to go
When chatting in real time with recruiters, you’ll have the option to share your resume or CV. To speed up and simplify the process, have your document uploaded or ready to upload prior to the event.
If you need to update or tweak your CV beforehand, you can utilize resources like PhysicianCV.com for tips and templates. Plus, you can conveniently download and disperse your CV directly from the site.
Prepare your introduction
Your introduction is a lot like an elevator pitch: You’ll want to share who you are, what you do and what you’re looking for in a position or organization.
Have your brief introduction (around two to five sentences max) typed in a Word document so you can easily paste it into the chat box when you or recruiters initiate conversations.
Be ready to ask questions
This is your chance to ask about an organization’s culture, what they look for in an ideal candidate, what a typical day at the facility looks like and any other questions you might ask to get to know an opportunity.
The event can be fast paced – and you might be chatting with multiple recruiters at once – so prioritize which questions will give you the most insight in the least amount of time. Type them out in a separate document before the event so they’re ready to paste into your chat box during your conversations.
Follow up
Reaching out post-event can be the difference between a forgettable interaction and one that leads you to an opportunity.
Keep in mind that recruiters will be chatting with multiple candidates, just like you’ll be chatting with multiple employers. When you send a brief thank you email or message to those you want to continue engaging, include a reminder about who you are, what you’re seeking and a highlight of your conversation to jog their memory.
Utilize all your job search resources
Attending a virtual career fair is only a moment in time during the long job search process. That’s why it’s key to utilize evergreen resources that enable you to advance your search in the short and long term.
You can rely on a host of PracticeLink resources at any point during your job search or career to help you achieve exactly that. Whether it’s determining where you are in your search and what comes next or deciding if it’s time to explore other career opportunities, we’re here to provide the tips, insights and tools you need.
March 2, 2021
