5 Alternatives to Job Fairs for Effective Campus Recruiting

Job fairs have become a common occurrence in recruitment for both fully graduated professionals and students alike. However, as the realm of workplace standards has evolved in recent days, so too have the practices for recruitment events. As a result, when it comes to recruitment on the campus of an educational facility, recruiters have had to think outside the box to reach younger and more technically literate demographics as easily as they would have even 30 years ago.

Fortunately, despite the sudden downturn in efficiency for job fairs in recruiting new professional talent, there are more than a few ways these aspiring workers can yet be reached. All it takes is a few modernized tactics.

Option #1: Social Networking

We live in a time where social media platforms reign supreme in the communication market. Websites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other media outlets serve as the network through which the youngest generations, including those dwelling on a university campus, communicate. Therefore, translating your recruitment efforts to an online medium will help draw in these potential employees far better than a job fair ever could.

To this end, it can be well worth the effort to establish a social media presence on LinkedIn. LinkedIn allows you to not only post job listings but directly communicate with potential hires whose profiles match up with the listing. Social networks can also be a good way to evaluate the soft skills you may need in your new recruits.

Option #2: Recruitment Boards

When searching for a recruiting platform online, there are always alternatives to LinkedIn. These alternatives, such as Indeed or Glassdoor, allow employers to place job listings online with the required qualifications listed. There are also niche job boards explicitly aimed at specific industries or majors. At this point, it becomes a matter of waiting for the aspiring professionals to locate the listings they are best suited for and put in their applications.

While this offers less interaction than LinkedIn or even a job fair can when vetting potential hires, it still offers a highly effective hands-off recruitment option.

Option #3: Presentations

This particular option requires coordination with the university where you plan to spend time recruiting. In some cases, universities offer professional agencies an opportunity to appear as guest lecturers and present the particulars of the position directly to the target pool. This requires having a direct and positive relationship with the university itself to get the clearance you need to present the position. However, it offers an opportunity to directly address potential hires without the competition a job fair typically entails.

Option #4: Hackathons

Hackathons are a very niche alternative that caters specifically to those looking to recruit for a technical position. Hackathons are collaboration projects for software developers, graphic designers, and other computer science-based professionals. These hackathons can be used to demonstrate the type and quality of work a company might be looking for and help students directly understand the responsibilities they would have. This serves as an excellent recruitment alternative and can even be hosted independently of the campus to bring you prospects.

Option #5: Recruitment Agencies

One of the most common and effective alternatives to hiring events like job fairs, hackathons, or social networking, recruitment agencies can be used to find talented professionals and bring them to you. They allow you to outline the qualifications and expectations you have for the position, and the agency will vet applicants and send the best-qualified candidates your way.

This process also allows a degree of safety due to the agencies’ guarantee regarding the aptitude and reliability of the prospective hires.

Wrapping Up

Job fairs, while common, are not the end-all of recruitment drives, and the alternatives available can be far more straightforward than a job fair could ever be. While some options are better than others, tailoring your recruitment drives to your specific needs is the only right way to do so. If you are interested in recruitment agency services, we at RHM Staffing specialize in getting talented professionals and academics into the positions you need. So, if you need fresh recruits, contact us today and let us find the solution.