Finding the similarities
➔ A job search can be like dating. You go on dates (interviews) with the idea of someday possibly getting married (finding a job.) The actual connection, however, goes beyond that.
In late 1998 a new phenomenon appeared on the dating scene – speed dating. Wikipedia defines speed dating as: a formalized matchmaking process of dating system whose purpose is to encourage people to meet a large number of new people.
Compare that definition to this one: employers, recruiters, and schools give information to potential employees. Job seekers attend these while trying to make a good impression to potential coworkers by speaking face-to-face with one another.
What Are You Doing Saturday Night?
Peel away the particulars and these two sound eerily similar. So similar, in fact, that we’re willing to label the second definition as speed dating for the job search. Of course, what we’re talking about here is the job fair.
Many communities host job fairs on a somewhat regular basis and they can be excellent opportunities for the older worker – on a number of levels.
First and most obvious, you might get a job. In fact, at job fairs we’ve found any number of companies who are willing and eager to hire older job seekers. Not all, but many.
Second – and this is especially true if you haven’t been on an active job search for more years than you care to think about. A job fair is an excellent opportunity to stick your toe in the water of the job search world.
Get accustomed to speaking with hiring managers. Ask for feedback (from someone who matters) on your resume. Inquire about what skills are needed. A job fair can be a great dry-run for any job seeker.
We’ve often used the analogy that a job search is like turning over rocks in a stream. The more rocks you look under, the more likely it is that you’re going to find something. A job fair is just another rock. Take a peek.
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