Remote is arguably the most common word in today’s digital age. Remote working has and continues to break boundaries. More employers and employees are favoring the approach due to its many potential benefits. The pandemic and stay-at-home orders have fast-tracked the remote aspect. Nonetheless, it won’t slow down after the pandemic. If anything, it’ll only extend, with more players realizing the gem that’s the virtual environment. Lower costs, enhanced efficiency, access to a global pool, among other considerations, continue to fuel the remote approach. As more companies embrace the strategy, among the top highlights is online recruitment. While not a new thing, as a business, you need to scale up your virtual recruitment efforts to keep up with the changing dynamics. If you haven’t or still maintain a low key, check out the detailed virtual career fair guide to help you make an informed decision and supercharge your strategy.

Recruiters and potential candidates continue to uncover the gem that’s virtual career fairs. It is much like the traditional career fairs, only that there is no need for in-person presence. The online approach makes it easier for recruiters to attract an extensive pool. Candidates also tap into a rich pool of potential employers without significant hiccups such as physical boundaries limitations. Not everyone can afford to travel for miles for a career fair, a concern that has locked many candidates out of amazing opportunities. Employers, too, lose potential candidates that would help them propel their quests. Such limitations are taken out of the equation with virtual career fairs, facilitating a more productive undertaking.

Recruiters and candidates put in much work as they consider a virtual career fair. Nonetheless, a significant part of the process is facilitated by the employers. This is more so on the platform they choose. Virtual career platforms aren’t created equal. As such, as a recruiter, you need to use due diligence as you pick a platform. Before you dive into the features, ensuring that the platform matches your target field is essential. Some platforms specialize in certain fields, meaning they won’t be as helpful if you aren’t looking into such a niche. Here are some of the must-have features to help you manage a productive virtual career fair as you hit the market.

Mobile optimization

This is a no-brainer; more users are turning to mobile devices over the PC. Tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices continue to be a favorite due to their portability, convenience, and other advantages over the PC. As such, you can expect more candidates to access the virtual even on mobile. Ensuring that the experience is mobile-friendly enhances its productivity. The bounce rate won’t keep skyrocketing, and with better engagement, you can access an extensive pool and pick your dream hires.

Apart from mobile optimization, see if you can customize the page to collect signups, sell your event, share expectations, among other considerations that’ll make the virtual career fair a success. The landing page can make or break your efforts. With a mobile-optimized platform that offers more features, you can position your event to attract more candidates, collect valuable information, and communicate your values that’ll tip them in your favor.

Easy branding

You want to stand out from the crowd. This means that you want to customize your event to exude your unique brand. It is not all about the value proposition. You want to maintain your brand’s image consistently. This includes logos, brand colors, among other considerations. See if you can strategically position the logos and other elements on the event’s signup page, among other areas.

The experience

While you might focus on your teams’ experience, it helps if you also consider the candidates’ experience. Will they enjoy the experience, translating to more candidates and better screening to land the best hires? Features such as;

• SSO (single sign-on) facilitates frictionless experience as users access the virtual career fair
• Tutorials make the process more manageable, especially for the less tech-savvy user, as it cuts the navigation difficulties
• Reminders help recruiters and candidates to stay on track as the event approaches
• Search features help candidates to search the booths they are interested in, making the process more productive
• Chat timers enable a natural conversation end. The recruiter and candidate can realistically plan the progress to get the most out of the set period

The features list can be longer. The bottom line; pick a virtual career fair platform that offers features in line with your objectives, and that’ll make the candidates’ experience a breeze.

More in less time

Booths are only as productive as the interactions they help cultivate. The best platforms help you automate mundane but essential tasks. For example, snippets offering pre-filled questions and responses save time. Multi-chat features allow your recruiters to communicate with many candidates simultaneously. The platform could also feature functionality that enables you to collect custom candidates’ information as they sign up or before the event. Such contribution makes it easier to manage the interactions. This further improves the experience and productivity within a short period. With the best virtual career fair platform, you can achieve a lot in less time. This improves the event’s performance as you strive to staff your organization.

Selecting the best virtual career fair platform is not a cakewalk. Keeping its impact in mind, investing enough time to weigh the options can’t be emphasized enough. With the many options available in the competitive market, you can be swayed by irresistible offers. That’s a pitfall you should avoid at all costs. Consider the value a platform delivers against what you pay, ensuring that you realize the value of your investment.

You’ve explored the virtual career fair guide and picked the best platform; what’s next? Don’t dive in headfirst. Much like the traditional in-person career fairs, you have to be prepared. Establish the number of booths that best match your goals. Many might seem like the best option, but that can be overwhelming. Also, ensure that you have enough recruiters to manage the process. Staffing it right makes the event more productive. The candidates won’t slip off your fingers after attracting the best in the market to the virtual career fair. Don’t forget to do follow-ups. This ensures that the candidates are progressing to the interview process before the leads go cold.