Recently, Atlanta has highly publicized large job fairs in an effort to encourage job seekers to continue sending out applications.  Unfortunately, many job fairs in Atlanta have created more stress and confusion for the unemployed and underemployed individuals they are designed to help.  Knowing how to prepare for an Atlanta job fair, and how to present yourself during the job fair, will improve your chances of speaking to a recruiter and getting a new job.

Dress for Success

Dressing well for a job fair might seem like common sense, but a lot of Atlanta job fair attendees arrive in casual attire.  Make yourself more noticeable by wearing a nice suit, dress shoes, and getting your hair fixed prior to attending the job fair.  First impressions are important, and the recruiter is more likely to remember a clean cut professional instead of a casually attired applicant.

Don’t Arrive Early

With unemployment rates in Atlanta staying high, many job fairs open with lines of job seekers waiting to start giving out resumes.  While usually being one of the first to arrive is a good thing, standing in line outside of the job fair for an hour is not going to drastically increase your chances of getting hired.  Arrive thirty minutes or an hour after the job fair has started.  When you arrive you will be calm, collected, and ready to impress the recruiters.  Plus, many of the job seekers will be gone and recruiters who have recovered from the initial rush will have time to talk to you about their company.

Have a Plan

Before attending the job fair find out what companies plan to attend.  Make a list of companies you are interested in, and verify their recruiters are attending by calling the job fair before you arrive.  Once you get to the job fair, go straight to the recruiters you are interested in and leave customized resumes, cover letters, and a business card.  Showing the recruiter that you came to apply for a position with their company specifically will help your application stand out and increase your chances of landing an interview.