More people look for a new job in January than any other time of the year.
A virtual job fair on January 7 can help Utah job seekers to start the new year with a new job.
Troy Lamb, Employment Counselor for the Department of Workforce Services, says just like an in-person job fair, a little preparation goes a long way. To have the best experience, job seekers should do a few things before the virtual job fair begins.
Pre-register for the job fair by going to jobs.utah.gov.
There, you'll find the list of more than 100 participating employers and then Lamb recommends you visit their individual websites or use LinkedIn and glassdoor.com to learn more. You can see the kind of work they do, how big they are, where they're located and the types of positions they may offer - overall, if they're the type of company you'd like to work for.
Lamb also recommends having a profile photo and a digital copy of a professional headshot ready. If you don't have one already, it's easy to take one! Shoot from the shoulders up with a neutral background.
Be sure to have a resume, make sure it's up to date and safe it as a pdf.
Tips for job seekers on the day of the fair:
• Get your profile ready
o You don't have to do a lot to get your profile set up, but you do want to log into the event when it starts, and upload your photo and resume.
• Then, get ready to chat!
o The whole job fair is a chat session.
o Remember to type in complete sentences and use proper punctuation.
o Have a notepad handy to make note of employer's contact information and other important items.
• Sell yourself
o Tell employers about your career goals, qualifications and strengths.
o Share some of your past accomplishments and success stories.
• Ask questions – Be prepared with questions for each employer such as:
o What's the hardest part of this position?
o What's your favorite thing about working for this company?
o Do you promote from within the company?
o What does success look like to you in this position?
• Say thank you
o Write a short thank you email to each employer you chatted with after the event.
If you want a little more help getting prepped, the Department of Workforce Services offers a virtual job fair preparation workshop the day before the job fair.
• You can find more information and register for both the workshop and the job fair at jobs.utah.gov.
Statewide Virtual Job Fair
Thursday, Jan. 7
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Pre-register at jobs.utah.gov
