The hiring market for top technology talent is always competitive. Finding not only technical experts, but the right mix of personality and clearances is critical for business success. Many organizations turn to hiring events to broaden the pool of talent in their pipeline. But what type of event is right for your company? And how do you ensure your hiring event is a success?[Tweet "How do you ensure your hiring event is a success? #GovEventsBlog"]
We spoke recently with Bradford Rand, president and CEO of TechExpo, a leading producer of professional job fairs. He shared his thoughts on the two main types of hiring events and what organizations should look and plan for with each.
Open House - This is typically an event hosted by a single company designed to give job seekers an inside look at what it is like to work at that organization. While it may be tempting to host an open house on your own, Rand suggests working with a partner to make sure you are reaching the biggest audience possible with your invitations. On their own, companies can utilize corporate networks, existing email lists and social sites like LinkedIn. They can also encourage all employees to share invitations to the event with their networks, but this still will not draw the diverse crowd needed to make the right hires. Buying lists from or working with a partner that has a massive database of people will give you the biggest reach into the potential employee pool.
Job Fairs - These feature anywhere from a handful to hundreds of companies in one location. By participating in a job fair you are tapping into a larger pool of candidates due to the organizer's outreach and that of fellow exhibiting companies. When looking at this type of event, organizations should find out the reach of the planner (do they have a database of 100,000 people or more in your area of focus?) and ask about how they promote and advertise the event to ensure you are getting the full benefit of this crowded environment.
No matter which type of event you decide to go with, Rand had some key tips:
- The people staffing your booth/event are critical. Make sure they are decision-makers, not just people who can talk about the company.[Tweet "The people staffing booth/event are critical. Make sure they are decision-makers. #GovEventsBlog"]
- Conduct interviews - do not just use these events to collect resumes. Have decision makers conduct interviews. Half (or more) of attendees are already employed, they do not want to waste time taking off work to simply drop off a resume, they want these events to be the first interview.
- Save money on giveaways - everyone gives away goodies like stress balls, pens, etc... Unless you have a high-end giveaway, skip them. What attendees really want is a new opportunity, not another thing that will clutter the desk of their current job.
- Don't rely on the show to promote the event. While they may do a fantastic job advertising, you still need to promote your participation as if it was your own open house. Post information on your careers page and social media sites. Encourage employees to reach out to their friends with details on the event.
Thanks again to Bradford for sharing his time and insight. We'd also love to hear from you - what have you found that works (and doesn't work) with hiring events?
