You likely know that job opportunities are one of the benefits members value most from their professional associations.
Of course, a career center helps your members find their next great job opportunity and even discover career resources to help them land the job. But why not take it to the next level with a virtual career fair?
Virtual career fairs offer members a convenient, dynamic, low-cost way to network and engage with employers when attending onsite events aren’t possible. These types of online events offer much of the features of an onsite career fair without the need for employers, job seekers, and your organization to travel. Members and recruiters can meet one-on-one in the comfort of their office or home.
The value of virtual career fairs
For your organization
Virtual career fairs are a great way to engage with and provide value to members and prospective members while serving your industry and generating revenue. Because they do not require attendees to travel, they also allow you to include more employers and job seekers than a regional onsite career fair can reach. And, since you can invite employers and individuals who are not yet members to sponsor or attend your career fair, the event can be a great tool for reaching out to potential new members.
For recruiters
Employers value career events because they directly connect them to your members – a targeted group of professionals in the employers’ industry who are actively looking for a career change or new job. These career events also provide employers the opportunity to get in front of passive job seekers, who can attend without a great deal of effort.
For job seekers
Members find value in virtual career events because they can reach out to the employers they are interested in without talking to several other people along the way. As a result, those seeking jobs can quickly access that company’s representative. The rep can then share what things are really like in the organization today and what they have to offer.
How a virtual career fair works
With virtual career fairs, employers purchase branded online booths where they spotlight open jobs, company information, video, and other related materials. Candidates “visit” these booths during the virtual events to chat with prospective employers. All interactions can be recorded, rated, and stored for detailed post-event reporting. Employers develop their pipeline of talent, and professionals grow their networks – with your association’s brand as the facilitator.
The power of YM Careers
YM Careers by Community Brands offers career center solutions this type of virtual event experience. There are three simple steps to creating a virtual career event with YM Careers:
- Leverage your relationships to sell virtual booths to industry employers for the event. In many cases, the YM Careers Career Events sales team can sell these booths on your behalf.
- Promote the event to your members, and ask registrants to fill out a personal profile and upload their résumé.
- These candidates get in line to interview one-on-one with the recruiters.
