6 ways to turn a job fair into a job

Tip No. 4: Do your homework

Treating job fairs like preliminary interviews means more work than most people are willing to put in. It’s not enough to know the list of healthcare companies appearing. You should know what each organization does, what job openings they have listed, and (most importantly) your selling point for each company. Does the hospital have an opening in a special department? Do you admire a specific doctor’s work? Is there a unique nursing specialty you’d like to work in that they offer?

Remember, hiring managers are like anyone else — the easier the better. They aren’t going to go out of their way to find you a job just because you put on some nice clothes and drove to a convention center. Make their lives easier by having something ready to say when you hand them your nursing resume (and business card, if you have one). Here’s an example for someone speaking with the hiring manager for a health care company:

Job Fair Attendee: “Hello, my name is Jane Smith, nice to meet you.”

Hiring Manager: “Hi, nice to meet you.”

Job Fair Attendee: “I’m particularly interested in the nursing position in your mental health ward that I saw listed on your company website. I have several years of experience working with mental health patients, both in a hospital setting and in home health care, so I’m aware of the expertise a distinguished mental healthcare program like yours needs.”

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