How to Navigate a Job Fair

Preparing to attend a job fair takes more than pressing your suit and polishing your resume.

With the U.S. jobless rate stuck just above 9 percent and numbers for unemployed workers over 45 on the upswing for the first time this year, people are using any and all means to find open positions, including attending local and regional career fairs.

These one-day employment extravaganzas can attract hundreds or even thousands of job seekers, so it pays to get a head start. Career experts suggest doing research ahead of time to figure out how your skills and experience match up with openings at companies that will be attending.

Whether you're returning to work or looking for a new challenge, here's advice from two career experts about what to do to get ready for a job fair.

1. Join LinkedIn. If you don't have an account with LinkedIn, get one. Some recruiters won't look at candidates if they're not on the online business network. If you've already got a LinkedIn profile, make sure it's 100 percent complete, which means getting recommendations from at least three current or former employers, co-workers or friends who can act as character references. When recruiters look through LinkedIn for job candidates, profiles that are 100 percent complete appear first in search results. If yours isn't among them, "right away you're lower down in the listing," says Carol Fishman Cohen, co-owner of iRelaunch, a 3-year-old Boston business that helps people transition back into the work force. If you've been out of the work force for a while, don't feel bad about asking a boss from long ago for a recommendation, especially if you know they'd have nice things to say about you.

2. Preview companies that will be attending. Many job fair websites list participating companies and organizations. Identify any firms that interest you, then go to the career section of their websites. Scroll through the open positions and apply for any that would be a good fit. Filling out an application before you get to the job fair gives you a leg up on the competition and something to talk about with the company's recruiter, Cohen says. "If you can get specific with people, not only are you showing knowledge and enthusiasm, you're giving them information to react to," she says. "It moves the conversation beyond 'Take a look at our website.'"

3. Look beyond a company's website. Find out more about a company you want to meet with by reading coverage in the local newspaper, doing a Google search or following the company's Facebook fan page or updates on Twitter. "A complaint I hear from recruiters is that it's obvious the person had barely done any research on the company," Cohen says. But if you can engage them in a conversation about what's happening at the business, "right away you'll stand out."

4. Bring business cards and resumes. Double-check spelling and grammar on your resume; recruiters review materials to determine whether you'll be top-notch or sloppy on the job, says Jon Minners, a career expert at jobs site Vault.com. Besides your name, your business card should include a professional-sounding email address and phone number. If the outgoing voicemail message on your home answering machine features your chattering kids or barking dog, list your cellphone number instead. If you have a website or a LinkedIn profile, include the URL. Bring multiple copies of resumes and business cards, plus something for taking notes.

5. Be your best self. Dress as you would for a job interview, and if you can't decide, err on the side of overdressing. Be enthusiastic. "Smile and be full of energy," Cohen says. Appearing upbeat is the best way to combat any judgment about your age a recruiter may have, she says. If you're shooting for an encore career in a new field, be honest about about your intentions, Minners says.

6. Don't hide your experience. Be prepared to relate your skills and past work experience to the demands of the job a recruiter is looking to fill. Share how you managed projects, tackled tough situations or otherwise showed off your skills. Avoid discussing relevant work experience as if it was ancient history, even if it happened years ago. "It's your job to bring your background alive for the recruiter, and you can do that best by using anecdotes," Cohen says.

7. Follow up immediately. Get the recruiter's card if you can -- some don't hand them out at job fairs, but try anyway, Cohen advises. If you get an email address, send a thank-you note as soon as you get home, then go on LinkedIn and invite the recruiter or company executive to connect there. Customize the invitation to remind the recruiter how you met -- another way to distinguish yourself from the crowd. Sending a handwritten thank-you note is a good idea, too, because few people send them anymore, Minners says. Since the note takes more time to arrive, send your letter in addition to an email.

8. Keep networking to find an in. Many companies prefer to hire people they know or who know their employees. Use your past or present connections -- virtual and otherwise -- to find people in your network who might work at the company you're interested in. "The more you can improve your chances of connecting with the company on a personal level, the better for you," Cohen says.

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