How To Use Trade Shows To Get A Job

How To Use Trade Shows To Get A Job

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Trade shows and special events offer ways for people to meet for a variety of reasons, why not to find a job?

The bad news about this recession is that you were recently laid off. The worse news is that you now have to find another job and hopefully in the same industry. Job fairs exist for this reason and although they can be helpful in meeting the right company and landing the big job, you are competing with sometimes hundreds of other applicants. Other standard ways of finding out about job openings in your field are very similar to job fairs in that there are numerous potential workers going after one office cubicle.

Why not just go to the source? The only place you can find practically everyone in your industry in one place is at a trade show.

Network with your old company: If the company that laid you off exhibits at an industry trade show, go to that show and show up at the exhibit booth. You're not there to ask for your old job back. You just want to say hello to ex-colleagues and let them know that you are there to network and look for opportunities. Don't waste a lot of time there and don't rehash past grievances. Just keep the bridge built and your "luck lines" open by being positive, friendly and confident. A couple of things could happen from this exposure. Your old company may rethink letting you go, someone may have a lead on an open position somewhere else or at the minimum, you maintain some industry contacts.

While you are there...

Visit your old competition: If it's an industry wide show, they may also be there, in which case, maybe you can make them your new employer? Have copies of resumes handy, but don't linger; make things short and sweet. Get some names and make some connections for future job opportunities. Try to get as many leads as possible for jobs as well as valuable nuggets of industry information and company news. This is one good reason to follow the golden rule with rivals at a competing company. Yes, you want to beat the other guy in the market place, but you don't want to beat him down.

Talk to industry suppliers: You may not be able to find employment with an exact fit inside your old industry, so think outside of the box. You probably have interfaced with vendors and suppliers at your old company. You might even be made friends with some of them. Why not talk to a few that are at the show? You certainly know what your company expected from them, so you may have a competitive advantage over other job applicants.

Look for opportunities: In walking the trade show floor, there may be opportunities other than a job that could fit you skills. There may be distributorship possibilities, franchise opportunities or you may decide to start a related business from scratch using suppliers you find at the show. The point is to keep your eyes open and look for other things you can do.

This is advice for visiting one trade show, but there are probably many more trade shows, conventions, meetings and other events that occur in your industry on a regular basis. When you add in related industry events, the opportunities are enormous.

About the Author:
Curt Gutierrez is the President of Camelback Displays, Inc., a provider of trade show displays and banner stands. Visit http://www.camelbackdisplays.com for more trade show ideas.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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