“Career Fair Confidential: Making the most of your opportunities”

Hospitality career fairs are like a rehearsal for a job interview. You have the opportunity to meet with prospective employers, present your skills and credentials, and plan your employment strategy. But as with any job interview, you must prepare properly to make the most of the fair.

First a couple definitions: there are job fairs and career fairs. Job fairs in the hospitality industry are generally hosted by individual organizations, like Starbuck’s looking to fill specific positions and holding their own recruitment days, or big resorts hiring seasonal staff. Career fairs, on the other hand, are organized by universities and colleges on the institution’s premises, where job seekers looking for a hotel job, for instance, can visit booths run by Starwood, Hyatt, Delta, Fairmont and others. If you’re embarking on a hospitality career, these fairs are ideal for getting the right information on the industry.

“It’s all about approachability and access,” says Jordan Romoff of Lecours Wolfson, a North American recruiter of hospitality executives, managers and chefs. “Career fairs provide potential employees with information, a friendly face and access to potential employers in their chosen career. There’s a huge difference in taking your resume to the HR director at a major hotel and possibly getting a reply or not and going to that career fair where you can make a personal connection, show up, shake hands, get a card. You’ve already had the first interview and can move directly to the second stage.”

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Filed Under: Human Resources • Industry Trends • Lecours Wolfson