2022 Spring Recruiting by the (CF+) Numbers

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Logistics, logistics, logistics.

What to do, what to do, what to do.

If you’re an event host organizing a career fair, chances are at least one of these phrases is bouncing between your ears like a ping pong ball. Decisions and logistics are challenging whether you’re a rookie or a pro. So wouldn’t a peek into how others answered the “What to do” question be helpful? Maybe even fimgreassuring?

Well, ta da! Here’s an easy-to-read look at 2022 Spring recruiting numbers and trends from Career Fair Plus (CF+). Take a “Quick Click” to a specific section or scroll through leisurely. We’re here to help you make good decisions, handle the logistics, and know exactly what you want to do.

Quick Clicks

Setting the stage

Are virtual, in-person, or hybrid events more common?
How many employers attended these events?
Total number of connections (a.k.a, meetings)

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?

Schedules & Meetings

How long do meetings usually last?
Which are better, one-on-one or group meetings?
Should I use the CF+ video room, an external service, or just do phone calls without video?
How many meetings do candidates typically book?

Special Features

Do I need to control access to my virtual event?
Should I limit the number of meetings candidates can book?

Setting the stage

Are virtual, in-person, or hybrid events more common?

Of our 338 spring events, 63% were virtual, 34% in-person, and 3% hybrid. Diving a deeper

• 17.3% were large fairs with 100+ employers
• 23.6% were medium events hosting 50-99 employers
• 59.1% were small programs welcoming 0-49 employers (we know it’s not a career fair with zero employers, but software developers like precision!)

How many employers attended these events?

Our event hosts welcomed 12,000+ employers and 40,000+ candidates.

Total number of connections (a.k.a, meetings)

130,000+ candidate/employer meetings facilitated by CF+ in-person and virtual job fair software

Days and Times

Which day of the week should I host my event?

Wednesday–if you want to follow the trend. Thursday and Tuesday were the second and third most popular choices, respectively. Wondering about the rest? For Spring 2022, it was Friday, then Monday, with Saturday the least selected day to host a recruiting event.

What’s the best start time?

The most common start time was 10:00 am, followed by 9:00 am, then 11:00 am. Some fair organizers opened their events in the afternoon, and a few even hosted evening fairs.

How long should my fair last?

Most event hosts chose four hours; large events with 100+ employers were usually five hours. This makes sense: the extra time likely allows for more employer-candidate connections.

Schedules & Meetings

Recruiters publish schedules on which candidates reserve one-on-one or group meetings. Here are some statistics on both from Spring 2022:

How long do meetings usually last?

Meeting times ranged from five minutes to an hour. The overwhelming majority of recruits allocated 15 minutes for their one-one-meetings. Group meetings were generally 45 minutes, with a few scheduled for 60 minutes.

Which is better, one-on-one or group meetings?

“Better” depends on your recruiters’ goals. Companies ready to hire are more likely to post one-to-one schedules, which generates more one-to-one meetings. On the other hand, recruiters attending your event to build their talent pipeline might prefer group meetings to better introduce their brand and culture.

Should I use the CF+ video room, an external service, or just do phone calls without video?

Based on the image below, most CF+ customers preferred our integrated video service over an outside provider or audio-only calls. What’s the takeaway? That the CF+ video room works. The unlimited bandwidth and reliable connectivity suited most of our Spring 2022 event hosts.

How many meetings do candidates typically book?

Three. And they scheduled 28% of those meetings on event day! That’s a win for candidates and employers at events where the event hosts kept the booking window open throughout the career fair.
Are you seeing the pattern yet? The Career Fair Plus enterprise recruiting software is highly customizable. You have maximum flexibility to design a recruiting day that meets your needs.

Special Features

Do I need to control access to my virtual event?

How event hosts control access to their online fairs depends on their software capabilities. Our virtual job fair platform allows CF+ customers to manage virtual fair access in one of three ways.

• 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)

During the Spring 2022 season, 45%--almost half–of our event hosts restricted access to their fairs. Of these 45%, 69% chose domain restriction, and 31% used an access list.

Should I limit the number of meetings candidates can book?

Well, 70% of our event hosts decided not to limit the number of meetings candidates could book. Of the 30% setting a cap, 86% also set an expiration date for that limit. In other words, three out of ten configured their candidates to only book X number of meetings until a specified date and time. If you're concerned the early birds will fill all the recruiters' available meeting times, this is a valuable feature.

Optimize CF+ flexibility and special features 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 practical, fun blog articles and free eBooks, too!