Hiring event, job fair, career fair, or recruiting event; these are the words you might have heard to designate these events where companies offer on-the-spot interviews to prospective candidates. Hiring events are particularly popular among organizations with a high turnover rate, as they frequently end up with many positions to fill. These events enable employers to simultaneously gather and screen a large pool of candidates, thus speeding up the recruitment process.
With the 2019 pandemic, hiring events had no choice but to reinvent themselves. The solution found by human resources managers was to switch to an online version. Virtual hiring events ended up presenting many advantages. On top of being budget-friendly, they can accommodate more candidates as there is no need for a physical venue. They are also perfect for companies looking to hire candidates on a global scale since it is possible to attend these events from anywhere in the world.
With remote working becoming the new normal, there is every reason to expect virtual hiring events to remain trendy long after the pandemic. If you are thinking about hosting one - in person or virtual - here are some tips for a stress-free event organization!
Plan in Advance
Although the concept might seem simple, a hiring event is not something you can plan overnight. Start by creating a timeline summarizing the required steps, such as booking a venue, sending invitations, and advertising. Take a moment to discuss with your staff the roles and responsibilities you would like them to have. It is also time to set your budget. Virtual hiring events are a cheaper alternative to in-person events, but remember to consider the cost of the platform you would like to use. Numerous online platforms now exist to offer a captivating virtual event experience. You can check out vFairs, Brazen, Talentspace, or Showfloor.
To make your event stand out, think about the type of activities you could organize. Do not limit yourself to traditional one-to-one interviews. Guided tours, discussions with staff, or group workshops are possibilities you might want to consider to make it a memorable experience for candidates. Concerning the dates, plan the event on multiple days to accommodate a maximum of people and reduce the impact on your teams. Hiring events are generally held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. This way, you still have the beginning of the week to send your reminder emails, and people are not yet in the weekend mood.
Determine your Goals
Before diving into the logistics, you have to determine what are your recruitment objectives. Here is a checklist of questions that you might want to ask yourself when planning your event:
- How many candidates would you like to receive?
- What kind of candidates do you want to attract?
- How many positions do you plan to fill?
- Are you offering full-time, part-time, or remote positions?
- When would be the start date?
The key to a successful hiring event is to be clear about your goals and articulate your strategy around them. If you want to attract young graduates, consider sending invitations to local universities. If you plan on offering remote positions through an online hiring event, find a way to reach international candidates and hold the event at times that will accommodate various time zones.
With its expertise in the recruitment of bilingual candidates, Canada Talents can assist you in building a personalized and efficient strategy to attract global talents meeting your needs.
Promote your Event
The best way to promote events is by far using social media. Post the news on your Instagram and Facebook page and possibly invest in an ad campaign that will pop up when users browse the app. You can also prepare flyers or signs that you could display in your premises so that customers will get the information next time they pass by. Think about job board platforms as well. Indeed, the most popular in Canada, even offers integrated tools to schedule and perform your virtual interviews. LinkedIn also developed its own event feature, which is one of the best ways to promote your event to people already interested in your company.
Do not forget to design an attractive landing page including a description of the event, dates, location, and a “What to Bring” section for candidates to come prepared. You can use an event reservation tool like Eventbrite if you want people to register beforehand. However, keep the event open for walk-ins. Some people might get the news last minute and spontaneously decide to come over. Others might have tight work schedules and cannot commit by advance.
Define the Hiring Strategy
Your recruitment team has to come prepared in order to run a smooth and efficient event. Come up with a list of screening questions that will help rapidly qualify or disqualify candidates. This way, you will have more time to focus on the profiles that best fit the roles. Here are some examples of screening questions that you could ask prospective candidates:
- What type of work environment do you thrive in?
- What makes a job rewarding and motivating for you?
- What are your career goals?
- What salary range do you expect?
- When can you start if you are hired?
The purpose of hiring events is to hire on the spot, so everything should be clear beforehand about the type of candidates you are looking for.
Create a Positive Candidate Experience
Hiring events are also an occasion to promote your company, so do not neglect candidate experience. Start with a positive first impression by having hosts attending the candidates at the entrance and helping them find their way. Consider offering a welcome kit with goodies, a flyer with the program, and some treats. If the event is held online, start with a welcome presentation and always have someone available in a virtual room to answer questions or redirect candidates in case they get confused.
Give a Taste of the Job
Hiring events should be the occasion for job seekers to learn more about your company and the different positions available. If your event is in person, consider organizing it in the workplace so that candidates can get a real taste of what the working environment is like. Offer a tour of the facilities and present the positions available. Have a few members of your team ready to talk about their experiences and answer questions about their jobs.
You could also plan activities where candidates could try some tasks associated with each position. For example, if you are hiring a designer, consider organizing a contest among candidates for the one that will come up with the best logo idea. If you are looking for salespeople, challenge them to present one of your products. This strategy could maximize your retention rates since candidates know what they are in for. On top of that, it is also a great way to determine which candidates are the most suitable for the job, which facilitates the selection process.
Offer Bonuses
Nothing works better than financial incentives to encourage people to apply for jobs. You could offer discounts or gift cards for your services to every candidate taking part in an interview. Implement an employee referral program so that your existing staff can invite their friends to come to the event. If their friend ends up being hired, both of them will receive a one-time cash bonus. These employee-referral bonuses typically range from $1,000 to $3,000, but can go up to $10,000 for the most qualified positions.
Don’t Forget to Follow-Up
Following up shows that your company cares about the candidate's experience and wants to improve in the future. For in-person events, prepare short questionnaires to fill out before leaving. For online events, send a feedback email while the event is this fresh. Take advantage of the email addresses collected to directly invite candidates that were not selected to your future events.
If you need help with your recruitment needs, Canada Talents offers plans adapted to various recruitment projects. You can decide to keep control over certain steps, or to entirely delegate the process until we let you make your final decision. Contact us now at welcome@canada-talents.ca, and we will discuss the solution that best fits your needs.