online hiring event | Premier Virtual

How to Differentiate Your Company and Job Postings at Virtual Job Fairs

Gary Chambers on May 1, 2024

In today’s competitive job market, virtual job fairs have become a cornerstone for companies looking to attract top talent. These digital platforms offer a unique opportunity to engage with potential employees from a wide geographic area without the logistical challenges of traditional in-person events. However, standing out in a sea of participating organizations and making your job openings appealing requires strategic planning and innovative approaches. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help your organization shine at your next virtual job fair.

Understanding the Virtual Job Fair Environment

Virtual job fairs typically take place on specialized platforms that allow employers to set up virtual booths, chat with candidates, present live webinars, and conduct interviews. The environment is fast-paced, with numerous organizations vying for the attention of job seekers. To effectively navigate this environment, organizations must be proactive and strategically innovative.

Crafting a Compelling Virtual Booth

1. Design an Attractive and Engaging Booth

Your virtual booth is often the first impression you make on job seekers. Make it count by incorporating eye-catching graphics, clear branding, and accessible information. Use high-quality images and videos to convey your company culture and values. An attractive booth can make job seekers more inclined to stop and learn more about what you have to offer.

2. Provide Clear and Concise Information

Simplicity is key in conveying information online. Ensure that your booth is easy to navigate, with straightforward information about your company and open positions. Bullet points, infographics, and short videos can effectively communicate your messages without overwhelming the attendees.

Engaging with Candidates Effectively

1. Utilize Interactive Tools

Virtual job fair platforms like Premier Virtual offer tools like live chat, video interview, webinar capabilities, and experience search function to find candidates that may be a good fit. Spend some time before the event to understand how to use these tools to engage in real-time with candidates. Be responsive and have representatives available to answer questions promptly. This direct interaction can set your organization apart from others that may not be as actively engaging with attendees.

2. Offer Exclusive Content

Provide materials that are exclusive to the job fair attendees, such as downloadable PDFs about career paths within your company, employee testimonials, or videos showcasing a day in the life at your company. Exclusive content not only adds value to your booth but also makes your presence at the fair more memorable.

Making Your Jobs Stand Out

1. Highlight Unique Benefits

Job seekers today are looking for more than just a salary. Highlight unique benefits your company offers, such as remote working options, professional development programs, health and wellness initiatives, or unique corporate culture. These benefits can differentiate your jobs from others.

2. Use Clear and Engaging Job Descriptions

Your job descriptions are crucial in attracting the right candidates. Write clear, concise, and jargon-free descriptions. Highlight the essential qualifications and responsibilities, but also discuss how the role contributes to the company’s goals and mission. This helps candidates see the value and impact of the role.

3. Create Urgency and Excitement

Use language that creates a sense of urgency and excitement about the opportunities. Phrases like “Join a groundbreaking team” or “Help us shape the future” can invoke excitement and prompt action from high-quality candidates.

Leveraging Follow-Up Strategies

1. Prompt Follow-Up

Quick follow-up can significantly impact a candidate’s interest in your organization. After the fair, promptly reach out to candidates who expressed interest or participated in interviews. Personalized emails mentioning specific conversations or points of interest can help make the candidate feel valued and more likely to pursue the opportunity.

2. Keep Engaging

Don’t let your interaction end with the job fair. Continue to engage with potential candidates through various channels. Invite them to join your talent community or follow your company on social media. Regular updates about new opportunities and company news can keep candidates interested long after the fair is over.

Conclusion

Standing out in a virtual job fair requires more than just showing up. It demands a strategic approach to presentation, engagement, and communication. By crafting an attractive and informative virtual booth, engaging effectively with candidates, and making your job opportunities shine, your organization can attract top talent in a competitive market. Remember, the goal is not just to participate but to make a lasting impression that candidates will carry with them as they make their employment decisions.

The Future of Hiring is Here Now!

Sergio on September 3, 2021

Why Virtual Career Fairs Are The Future For Job Seekers And Employers Alike, From Premier Virtual

Most employers these days expect potential employees to connect online, and the virtual career or job fair has become a highly utilized tool in the global business world. Prior to COVID-19, some companies held virtual or hybrid career fairs, however, the standard of most industries was to host an organization-based, or industry-specific in-person career fair. COVID-19 forced things to accelerate rapidly, and online recruitment and hiring became the norm. Now, as the business world starts to recover, the virtual career fair is here to stay.

Premier Virtual, led by CEO Steve Edwards, has developed an innovative, customizable virtual event platform that led the way when industry worldwide had to learn how to operate solely in the digital space. Premier Virtual has powered 2,500 virtual job fairs, connecting 25,000 employers to over 250,000 job seekers, and believes that this new frontier is the best of both worlds, benefiting job seekers and employers alike.

For employers the benefits of a virtual career or job fair are plentiful:

Virtual job fair events draw a larger number of applicants and can reach a greater geographical area, bringing in a more diverse group of candidates. Virtual job fairs have a higher rate of attendance 70% than in-person events, 50% according to data from Brazen.
Virtual job fairs embrace technology and forward-thinking, which can lend itself to a positive company image and brand reputation.
More efficient use of time, virtual events require far less planning and setup, do not require extra staff, there are no extras like catering, parking, etc.
Far more organized, ability to streamline the process and target candidates with specific qualities and skills. As well, virtual career fairs will attract candidates that are comfortable with technology and working in the digital space.
Allows for a more targeted applicant pool and sets up a larger network and pipeline of potential employees for future positions.
Less costly than in-person events, very low overhead, and a good return on investment.

For job seekers, the virtual job fair has become a very welcome alternative to the long lines, confusion, lack of focus, and chaos often experienced at an in-person career event. Along with convenience there are several reasons job seekers are on board with the transition to virtual career fairs:

Less time consuming, and far more convenient., making these events more accessible to people who may not otherwise have time or the means to attend. Rather than a trip across town, they can log in and join in from a place and time that works for them.
Many candidates find in-person career fair events to be very stressful, full of anxiety, and with a lot of pressure to make a perfect first impression. Taking away that level of stress of meeting in person has been a welcome change for many job seekers, allowing them to feel more comfortable, and make more genuine connections with prospective employers.
Improved candidate experience and more engagement from candidates before events, as well as two-way interaction, allowing candidates to be more involved.
Virtual career fairs are far more reliable than job boards, and allow candidates to vet potential employers, and learn about them before interviewing.

Premier Virtual is the number one workforce development site in every state; the company is dedicated to lead the way, break new ground, and set the bar for virtual career fairs worldwide. Learn more and connect with the Premier Virtual team on the company website, https://premiervirtual.com.

How the Pandemic Affected Job Hiring

Sergio on August 10, 2021

This article was originally published by Sarah Marie for NY Weekly – click here to access.

When COVID–19 forced companies to transition to online and work from home setups the world turned to digital platforms and tools to stay connected. With many jobs lost and industries changing and adapting to what the new demands and necessities were, the hiring process has completely changed. Steven Edwards, CEO of Premier Virtual, has been helping companies hire qualified candidates for over a decade and has given a little insight on how the pandemic has affected job hiring practices and how the virtual space is only going to grow.

Edwards saw a shift happening in hiring practices a few years ago and started working on adapting his business to serve those needs. In early 2020, his business partner and himself launched a new platform for online hiring and recruiting through Premier Virtual, quickly becoming an unrivaled leader aiding companies with their hiring and recruitment needs through the pandemic. Premier Virtual is the number 1 virtual career fair platform in the workforce development industry nationwide and has connected thousands of employers with qualified candidates. They have transformed the traditional job fair into a highly efficient recruitment system for any level of employment, including top-level executives, benefiting employers and job seekers all over the world.

When recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and holding in-person events were not an option, hiring practices were adapted to be completely virtual. Companies found themselves overwhelmed with applications on online job sites like Indeed, and qualified job seekers felt discouraged when they saw that hundreds of other people were applying for every job. Employers reported having difficulty finding qualified applicants, and applicants found the competition to be simply daunting.

Quality of hire has become a growing concern for many companies, and with so many applicants, they have started to look for a more streamlined recruitment and hiring process. More and more companies are turning to online candidate screening and assessment tools to narrow down targeted qualified contenders. Social media has become a heavily used recruitment channel. Interviews can happen through email, text message, chatbot, and more.

Aware of these concerns and ever-changing industry needs, Premier Virtual created a unique and innovative platform that enables companies to create a custom virtual hiring event. The platform is fully customizable; employers can set different parameters for submitting applications, testing skills, interviewing, etc. Outside companies also have access to licensing the software. Through this software, Premier Virtual has supported thousands of companies connecting with and employing individuals, even in the hardest of hit places and times over the last two years. The platform has powered 2,500 events to date, connecting 25,000 employers to 250,000 job seekers, and has earned industry-leading ratings on review sites like Capterra and G2. Edwards prides himself on the dedication of his team, and how they have truly impacted and changed lives across the world.

Edwards is a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army and describes what his company does as a parachute that prevented many industries from crashing to the ground during the pandemic and kept them going. Connecting companies and individuals from all over the world, getting people connected to jobs in a time when they needed it most, Edwards knows that the virtual job and career fair model is here to stay. He is ready to take on whatever the industry needs; his goal is to better people’s lives every day.

“Our platform is opening up these opportunities for people, maybe those that live in rural areas, and those that might not have been able to apply for these jobs, people from all over the world. We are connecting companies with top-level talent, making this an easy-to-use, stand-alone platform that allows companies to increase their candidate pool, and get more qualified applicants opportunities to apply. This is bettering people’s lives, every day,” he said.

Edwards and his team have supported companies and organizations of all shapes and sizes in all industries as the hiring practices have evolved and will continue to do so. They are always seeking ways to improve and make the platform better, setting the bar for the rest of the industry. Connect with Edwards and the Premier Virtual team on the company website.

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