Whether you come from a hiring agency or a university campus, we know you are hunting for a talented lot. But it is time you stop looking for the perfect candidate around town and expand your reach globally. Here are some tips on choosing the right virtual career fair vendor.
When planning to host a career fair, it is important to use the right platform. More and more industries are now inclined towards hosting virtual hiring events. The event aims to create an environment where students, graduates and job seekers explore career opportunities. Basically, it is a two-way road where hiring managers and applicants benefit alike. All-in-all, virtual events promise global reach, expert planning and execution, live candidate screening and filtering, and post-event analytics. It all comes down to what the platform offers and promises to deliver.
Here’s how you can pick the right career fair vendor.
Tips to Pick the Right Virtual Career Fair Vendor
Before signing with an event provider platform, get a clear picture of what your career fair would look like. We understand that it may be hard for you to shortlist a platform if you are hosting a virtual event for the first time. So save yourself from stress and follow the tips mentioned below. We responsibly guide event organizers in choosing the right platform for their events.
Take a Detailed Demo of the Platform
You must be wondering why you need a complete demo of the platform. Well, let’s face it, the platform alone cannot communicate details about how your career fair would look like. Also, you cannot just rely on client testimonials. After all, it is about offering the best experience to your audience joining the event from their laptop screens. So there are a lot many reasons to explore the platform in a detailed demo. Because this is how your user journey would look like.
Still, wondering why you need a demo of the platform? Here’s why;
- Find out about platform features
- Learn about platform customization
- Explore the user experience of a 3D environment
- Thoroughly explore the virtual walkthrough space
- Test the functionality of navigational buttons
- Explore options for virtual booth displays
- Inquire about 3D animated representative avatars
- Check options for event branding
- Check out features for recruitment
- Learn about candidates’ interaction with recruiters.
- Learn about sessions, chats, calls and scheduling of meetings
- Explore reception, webinar rooms, halls, and lobby
Apart from the demo, it is also advised to go over their past successfully delivered events. You can either check out client testimonials, success stories or vendor portfolios.
Explore Platform Customization Options
Remember how you set up a virtual career fair at the campus facility? There are multiple recruiter booths installed with complete company branding. This gives applicants a sense of trust when applying for a particular job at an organization. Therefore, when looking for a virtual platform, make sure they offer complete customization and personalization of the venue, technicalities and functionalities.
Mostly, virtual career fair vendors would offer a set of templates to pick from or give you the option to personalize it. Available templates might cost you less, but they would not speak about your brand. So you must look for a tailor-made solution provider platform. Your personalized event would bring the desired outcome and would ensure better ROI. Usually, platform customization and branding are covered in the;
- Landing page
- Reception
- Lobby
- Halls
- Exhibitor booths
- Webinar rooms
Check Timeline for Event Planning and Set-up
How would you shortlist the best career fair vendor? One way to judge the professionalism of your vendor is the timeline they provide you. It all depends on how early the provider can set up your virtual career fair. Since planning is the most important part of your event, you must pay careful attention. See how long it takes for the vendor to construct your event from beginning to end. Meanwhile, you can start promoting the event, inviting the applicants, planning the event segments, and prepare your teams before the event goes live. Alongside this, you should also work on post-event analysis and follow-up strategy.
Remember that for a custom virtual event, a competent vendor takes about four to five weeks. But, it may take longer if the tailoring and technicalities come in the way.
Here’s a guide on how to run a successful recruitment open day.
Explore Live Chat and Engagement Options
One of the main purposes of a career fair is to educate, inform and guide candidates about the available career options. Here, professionals, counsellors, hiring managers or recruiters take on the responsibility to thoroughly assist the candidates. For that matter, you must find out what live chat, networking, and engagement options are available for interaction. For instance, when an attendee steps into the virtual career event, they expect to be guided towards the right person. So, in case of online interaction, live chat, audio or video conferencing option is embedded within the event.
Here are some engagement and networking features that your vendor must offer
- Candidates connect with representatives via chat
- Auto-matchmaking helps recruiters meet ideal candidates
- Meeting scheduler option to book interviews
- Engaging in live or recorded webinar sessions
- Attendee participation with Q&A, quizzes, and polls
- Gamification features to keep attendees entertained
- Live event alerts and notifications to keep attendees informed
Learn About Their Candidate Screening Process
How will the recruiters screen the ideal candidate for the job? Your virtual vendor should be feature-packed so as to support you through the candidate screening and hiring process. Firstly, the candidate interacts with employers at their respective exhibitor booths. Then, the candidates get to submit their resumes at each exhibitor booth. Usually, employers receive dozens of applications for a single job role. It would otherwise seem tricky to filter the ideal candidate. But with virtual match-making software, you receive filtered profiles of best-matched candidates. Most hiring managers use profile filtering questions such as education level, experience or skills.
Typically, a virtual career fair vendor should offer a cutting-edge technology system with powerful algorithms that scans large sums of data. This altogether makes the screening process automated and efficient. Next, it comes down to interviewing the shortlisted candidates. Finally, employers engage in 1:1 interview sessions with candidates and help talented individuals embark on their careers.
Get Techincal Support Help Desks Installed
Another important factor to consider while choosing your virtual career fair vendor is the availability of technical support. Your vendor must offer a dedicated event management team who will look after all the technical and managerial problems. They are usually available 24/7 to assist you and your audience throughout the live event. Let’s face it, you and your audience deserve a seamless career fair experience. Therefore, a constant support system from the experts is all you need to push the event to success.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right virtual career fair vendor may seem tricky at the moment. However, once you follow the steps mentioned above, it will guide you straight to your ideal vendor. Partner with a solution provider platform fully equipped to support your campus or organizational hiring needs. By going virtual, you tap on a global talent looking for an opportunity to excel in their careers. So, why not host a virtual career fair today? Virtual Days present itself as a feature-packed and tech-savy vendor to support you throughout your talent acquisition journey.
Get a complete demo of the platform and learn about our extensive services and software. We promise you end-to-end support for your events scheduled in the year 2023.
Author | Mubashrah Rahim
