Job Fairs- the good, bad, ugly

I have been working for my friend Angie with Valley Jobs Fairs this fall. Back in the day when I worked at CSUN in the Career Center, we did a lot of Job Fairs. They were never my speed and usually did not have the jobs I was looking for. But it seemed like some people really got a lot out of them. The employers seemed to appreciate them as an easy way to get a lot done in a day.

Angie decided to start Valley Jobs Fairs as a way to solve a local problem that used her background and connections very well. She's clear on what she wants to accomplish and she's assembling a great team to help. I like to call my role "career ministry" because mostly I like to listen to stories and help people with particulars like resumes and how to navigate Fairs. I enjoy helping other people with their job searches and I find my own career quest bothersome sometimes. Other people's problems are so much more interesting than my own!

Because of my "Year Without A Job" and my background at CSUN, people will ask my opinions about whether Job Fairs are a good idea or not. Here are my thoughts on the matter:

• Not all job fairs are created equal- do your research
• Networking and practicing selling yourself via a Job Fair is a good way to grow
• You never know who you will meet and see at events like Job Fairs- friends old and new
• Pay attention to trends - Job Fairs are a good place to see what's happening with jobs nearby
• Learning what you don't want in a job is as important and that can become clear at a Fair
• Being open minded is part of how you get hired in this economy, so you never know!
• It is never a bad idea to get dressed up, polish up the resume and hit the streets
• Attending Job Fairs can help warm you up in your job search process and with your quick responses to seemingly simple questions that feel hard at the time

Sure, there are lots of reasons Job Fairs are hard. I don't like polishing up my resume and putting myself out there for rejection. It is not easy. I find that I get very snotty about what I see at Fairs, but one of these days I may want a different experience and because I saw a company at the Fair, I may think of them. Also, usually when a company is at a Fair, that means they have jobs and where there's one job there may be more. It pays to talk to these outreach people and get on radars. It's also important to see the options out there and take a reality check. Many people are making hard choices in this economy. It's not a good idea to turn up our noses at any opportunities. You just never know.

I would love to hear your thoughts and stories about Job Fairs! Please share!

Here's the link for my local Job Fair. You can also find Fairs via Career Builder.com, Idealist.org ( non-profit) and many other places.
http://www.valleyjobfairs.com/