Top Reasons to Use Name Tag For Your Job and Career Fair

What is a Career Fair?

A job fair or career fair is a medium to a large-sized event hosted by employers or recruiters who are looking for qualified candidates to fill open positions in their companies. Candidates often attend a career fair to learn more about what types of roles and positions are available in various fields and industries. Colleges often host career fairs to help students find entry-level positions related to their degree programs. Other organizations also host job fairs for local businesses and community leaders. A career fair creates a great opportunity for meeting diverse candidates and learning about their backgrounds, qualifications, and skills, which helps determine if they are a good fit for a company.

Benefits of Participating in a Career Fair

Companies that participate in a career or job fair gain access to a large number of potential candidates who are looking for employment. Some of the most common benefits of participating in a career fair include the following:

• Building Company Awareness. A job fair can be particularly useful for new companies. It provides a great opportunity for others to learn more about the services provided. Career fairs are also helpful for helping candidates discover more about your company and culture.
• Broader Selection of Candidates. When job fairs are held in public facilities and in locations like large schools or cities, more candidates are likely to attend. With more applicants to choose from, the likelihood of finding high-performing employees increases.
• Networking Opportunities. You will find that business professionals and recruiters also attend career fairs too. It sets the stage for company recruiters and hiring managers to network with one another. Recruiters are known for building connections with one another so they can refer candidates to each other.

Preparing for a Career Fair

You don’t want to go into a job or career fair unprepared. Start by choosing what materials you need to present at the career fair. Choose some team members who can represent your brand and talk to others at the event. Preparing for the job fair will make it easier to make a great first impression on candidates. Here are some tips to help you get prepared for the job or career fair.

1.  Set Recruitment and Hiring Goals

Meet with your team members to determine the goals for recruiting or hiring new employees. Consider the ideal qualities, traits, and characteristics of an ideal employee. Determine what roles you are looking to fill. It’s important for your team to be looking for the same things. Setting your goals also helps you with the selection process when determining which of your employees should attend. For example, if you are hiring IT professionals, you’ll want to send members of your IT team to the event for the interviewing process.

2. Order Marketing and Advertising Merchandise

A great way to represent your company is by using marketing materials, branded merchandise, and great booth designs. Order some fun merchandise that contains your logo. These serve as attention-grabbers and make attendees want to stop by your booth to learn more about your company. You may choose to distribute practical items like notepads, pens, or pencils. Try a few unique items, such as laptop cases or insulated water bottles. Design and print brochures that can inform candidates about your company, its benefits for employees, and its values.

3. Prepare Questions for Candidates

You will be meeting with numerous candidates during a career fair. Before the event, compile a list of questions you can ask each candidate so you can get to know each one better. You can ask about their education, experience, and their career goals. The answers to these questions can help you determine if you have a relevant role for the candidate. If you find that you do not have an open role, request their information so you can contact them later on should a fitting position come open. For candidates who have qualifications that match your open roles, you can ask more detailed, in-depth questions about their experiences. Some examples include:

• Do you have experience using the software you’d be using in this position?
• Why do you feel you’d be a good fit? 
• What do you know about our company at this point?

4. Provide Team Name Tags

Maintain a high level of professionalism during the event by providing high-quality name tags for your team. Using full-color logo name badges reinforces your branding efforts. Each of your team members needs a company name tag so that candidates can easily recognize and communicate with them. By wearing name tags, your company will seem more friendly and approachable to candidates.

Choosing Career Fair Name Tags

If your company already uses name tags, you are set for your career fair. If you don’t already use name badges as part of your company culture, here are a few tips for designing the best name tags for a job fair.

• Printed or Engraved Name Tags. Engraved name badges have your team member’s information lasered into the plastic surface. They are durable and scratch-resistant, so they maintain their professional appeal. They are customizable, so you can create a name tag unique to your company.
• Name Tag Design. Using your full-color logo on the name tag can help give you more marketing juice and help establish your brand to attendees. You can choose any complementary color for your name tags that will help accentuate your logo and make it stand out. The names of your team members should also be included in the design. We recommend first names and last initials be printed on the name badge. You may also want to add a line for the team member’s position in the company. · 
• Name Tag Materials. You can opt for plastic or metal name tags. Also, you’ll want to choose a pin or magnetic backing for your career fair name badges. Many companies are also opting for sustainable wood name badges. They add an element of professionalism while communicating your company’s dedication to protecting the environment.

Name Tag Pros Can Help with Job and Career Fair Name Badges

At Name Tag Pros, we have a variety of exceptional choices that are great for elevating your presence at a job fair. Our name badges are customizable, and we have a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, and finishes to help meet your unique needs. We have decades of experience creating professional name tags. Let us help you get ready for your career fair.