^{By Deborah Thoben}

One-on-one interaction with active job seekers at a job fair is a terrific opportunity to meet, interview and even hire job seekers all in just one day.  In today’s tight labor market, it’s more important than ever to make the most of your participation in a job fair. Here are the top 10 tips for exhibitors:

1. Arrive early. Motivated job seekers will often be waiting for the doors to open. Don’t be caught unprepared and unpacking boxes while candidates walk past your booth.

2. Send personable and knowledgeable representatives. It’s important to be encouraging to prospective candidates. Representatives at a job fair should know what positions their company is hiring for and what the positions involve. If your company isn’t as well known, they should be prepared to let job seekers know what your company does.

3. Market your participation at the event. While the event will have marketing of its own, it couldn’t hurt to spread the word through your own company’s marketing and social media outlets as well.

4. Make your booth stand out. Brand your booth with items such as tabletop displays, backdrops, posters and company literature that clearly communicate what your company does. While your booth doesn’t have to be elaborate, it should appear professional and well-organized.

5. Consider swag!  Even simple giveaways such as candy or pens might be just what it takes to draw people to your booth and give job seekers a favorable impression.

6. Have the essentials. Be prepared to hand out a list of open positions with  job descriptions as well as business cards. Wear an easy-to-read nametag that will make you more approachable.

7. Be approachable. Stand up, smile, and offer a handshake. An approachable staff will attract job seekers to apply.

8. Offer job seekers a way to apply for jobs. If you have paper applications, be sure to have plenty on hand. If you are referring job seekers to your company’s ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to apply, have a handout with instructions on accessing your ATS and include Job IDs for convenience. This courtesy makes a positive statement about you and your company and lets job seekers feel that their attendance was productive.

9. Have a sign-in sheet. By capturing attendees’ names and emails at the event, you will be able to quickly followup with your most impressive candidates.

10. Staff your booth throughout the event. It’s disappointing for a job seeker to take the time to attend a job fair only to find out the employer they came to see isn’t there. Ideally, two representatives at your booth will allow for at least one person to be available at all times. Arriving a little early and remaining until the end of a job fair means that you will have an opportunity to meet with all of the candidates interested in working for your company.