Introduction
Online career fair platforms offer an alternative means for recruiters and students to connect. Although the experience may be different from an in-person fair, online career fair platforms provide several benefits beyond what a traditional in-person fair offers.
If you are new to online career fairs, you can learn more about them in our article: What is a virtual career fair?
Flexible Planning & Faster Setup
Online career fair platforms don’t require the same overhead as an in-person fair. Logistics pertaining to venue rentals, supplies, and catering aren’t required for a career fair hosted online.
When it comes to online career fair platforms, the logistics of hosting the venue, booths, etc. are all handled online through the platform. Consequently, the planning and setup process is much faster, giving you greater flexibility for your timeline.
Lower Cost
Since online career fair platforms don’t require the same level of venue support for an event, you typically can save on those costs for an online fair.
The costs associated with an online career fair platform usually pertain solely to the license and support fees of the platform provider.
More Event Control
With an online career fair platform, you as an administrator usually can control most elements of your online event. This typically includes:
- Event branding
- Event duration
- Online booth layouts
- Attendee profiles
Every online career fair platform will be different in the level of control and customization offered; however, you generally can expect greater control over the minutiae of your event that you typically wouldn’t have with an in-person event.
Easier Access
Since an online career fair platform is accessed through the internet, attendees can come to your online fair from anywhere in the world.
Attendees that typically may not have access to opportunities due to geographical restrictions can speak to your recruiters as long as they have a working computer and a proper internet connection.
Data Analytics
Most online career fair platforms track various metrics for you to better gauge your event engagement. Such analytics can include metrics such as:
- Booth impressions
- Number of Conversations
- Event Attendance
- Attendee Demographics
These analytics are insights that you typically can’t capture with an in-person event.
Flexible Engagement Mediums
Online career fair platforms typically allow recruiters and attendees to engage in various manners. Most commonly, you’ll find platforms that allow for video chats as well as text chats.
These flexible mediums allow for attendees to engage in a manner that is comfortable for them.
Post-Event Access
An online career fair platform typically remains open for your attendees and recruiters to access even after the event itself ends. This allows your online fair to serve as a valuable resource repository for future access.
Information like booth info, career prep info, and conversation archives can all be retroactively accessed for your participants to refer to later on.
Event Announcements & Notifications
Online career fair platforms typically offer the ability to send out event notifications that you can target to your recruiters and attendees. These notifications allow your participants to stay up to date with important developments before, during, and after the event.
Conclusion
Although the medium of engagement may be different from an in-person event, online career fair platforms offer a plethora of unique benefits that you typically won’t have with an in-person event.
An online career fair platform could be a great addition to your recruitment strategy with the growing popularity of virtual events.
