Your To Be Determined list is probably growing daily with the next career fair season approaching. What’s the best start time? Do I need to offer a Help Desk during virtual fairs? Should I encourage employers to offer one-on-one or group meetings?
With so many questions, wouldn’t it be nice knowing what other people are doing?
We thought so, too. That’s why we’re sharing this easy-reading Q&A based on Career Fair Plus (CF+) 2021 trends and stats.
Days and Times
Which day of the week should I host my event?
What’s the best start time?
How long should my fair last?
Are people hosting multi-day events?
Are hybrid and multi-day events the same thing?
Day-of Logistics
What’s a buffer, and how long should it be?
How long do meetings usually last?
Should I set a cap on the number of meetings for each student?
Do people use the Help Desk feature?
How long do hosts usually leave the booking window open?
How do most people control access to their virtual events?
Which are better, one-on-one or group meetings?
Assorted Frequently Requested Statistics
No shows
Prerequisites
Booking timelines
Video options
Days and Times
Which day of the week should I host my event?
Wednesday was the most popular choice in the spring of 2021 and Thursday during the fall (if you’re thinking ahead!).
What’s the best start time?
The most common start time was 10:00 am, followed by 9:00 am. Some fair organizers opened their events in the afternoon, and a few even hosted evening fairs.
How long should my fair last?
Three, four, and six hours were popular durations. A few hosts scheduled all-day events allowing recruiters maximum flexibility to meet students. For example, the spring 2021 career fairs averaged four hours compared to six in the fall. If you’re expecting a high number of attendees, consider how extra time might facilitate more employer-candidate connections.
Are people hosting multi-day events?
Statistically speaking, 20% suggests a low frequency of multi-day events in 2021. Still, some hosts offered two-day fairs, particularly as in-person gatherings returned late in the year.
Are hybrid and multi-day events the same thing?
No, hybrid and multi-day fairs aren’t the same, but many hybrid fairs occur over several days or even weeks. Fair organizers are offering hybrid events by combining virtual and in-person formats, with 30% using the Meetings feature at in-person events to bring the benefits of virtual CF+ fairs on-site.
Day-of Logistics
How do most people control access to their virtual events?
How event hosts control access to their virtual fairs depends on software capabilities. Listening to our customers helped CF+ develop three options to manage virtual fair access:
- Unrestricted, where anyone can join and book a meeting
- Restricted by email domain (e.g., *@myschool.edu)
- Restricted to a specific list of allowed email addresses (add-on feature)
Event hosts enabled access restrictions for 33% of 2021 events, although only one-third of this group chose the “allow list” option. The other two-thirds restricted access by domain.
What’s a buffer, and how long should it be?
Our pre-2020 customers raved about our proprietary Skip the Line feature, which enabled pre-scheduled meetings at in-person events. So, we enhanced this function to facilitate customizable virtual events in 2020, then introduced more sophisticated configuration options based on user feedback the following year, including “buffers.”
Event hosts can enable a buffer period between candidate meetings to keep schedules running smoothly and ensure transition time between meetings. They can also shorten or lengthen the default 10-minute buffer period. Over 68% of CF+ customers use this feature to ensure no student has back-to-back-to-back-to (you get the point) sessions.
How long do meetings usually last?
The CF+ software also has a default meeting time similar to the default buffer. While most (80%) customers use the pre-set 15-minute period, those who customize this feature typically create schedules based on 10-minute meetings.
Should I set a cap on the number of meetings for each student?
Well, 15% of our 2021 hosts used this feature to prevent fast-acting candidates from reserving a majority of or all the open 1-on-1 meetings on the first or second booking day. Some set the limit for the entire event; others select an expiration date. When the booking cap expires, students can schedule as many meetings as they choose.
Do people use the Help Desk feature?
One-third (30%) of our fair organizers use the new Help Desk feature.
Released in August 2021, this custom feature enhances candidates’ experiences when familiar staff is available for real-time career advice or event support.
How long do hosts usually leave the booking window open?
Our numbers show 68% of our fair organizers keep the booking window—the period during which candidates can reserve one-to-one meetings on recruiters’ schedules—open during the entire event.
Which are better, one-on-one or group meetings?
Recruiters created more group schedules in 2021 than they did in 2020. This doesn’t mean the larger meetings are “better” than the person-to-person. You have maximum flexibility to design a recruiting day that meets your needs. Interestingly, more students participated in group meetings during the fall 2021 season, but not necessarily because recruiters offered more of these types of meetings. Some candidates might prefer general information, or a particular panel of speakers attracted more interest than traditional one-on-one meetings.
Assorted Frequently Requested Statistics
No shows
The low 10% candidate no-show rate means 90% of job seekers attend their scheduled meetings. We encourage recruiters to follow up with individuals who miss meetings directly.
Prerequisites
CF+ provides recruiters with the option to set prerequisites for booking meetings with them; 47% of the fall 2021 schedules included prerequisites.
Booking timelines
For those considering keeping the booking window open during the recruiting program, 68% of hosts made this choice; 20% of all meetings scheduled happened during the program. Interestingly, the highest number of bookings were on event day for 11% of events. That might sound like a low number until we remember it only takes one terrific candidate to fill a role. So, your recruiters might appreciate candidates having the option to book meetings on event day!
Video options
The overwhelming majority of employers, 92%, used the CF+ video room versus supplying a link to an external video platform.
We appreciate how much our customers tell us about their CF+ experiences and how significantly their feedback contributes to these trends and statistics. And we’re just as excited to hear how our customizable and intuitive platform makes your recruiting work easier this coming year!
So, here we go being flexible with multiple ways to make your next recruiting event your best recruiting event! Connect with a no-pressure CF+ team member or scroll around our virtual, hybrid, and in-person pages at your convenience. You’ll find useful blog articles and free eBooks, too!
