Job Fair Recruiter Says, "Nothing Open for you right now." Now, What?

I was at our job fair in Crystal City the other day and was very impressed at the number of candidates who showed up to the event seeking employment. It is not easy to dress up, approach several people in suits and talk about yourself and your qualifications for an open position with each company.

What impressed me even more, were the few persons who took the time to really engage each recruiter and find out about how they could help them...even if not by hiring them for their own company.

One person even asked for a resume critique from a recruiter. I thought that was a very effective way to make her trip to the job fair a valuable one.

Employers look for different characteristics in candidates and they are often outlined in the job requirements for each open position. However, recruiters often have their own ideas on who is a good candidate, what makes a good resume or cover letter.

It is often very easy to find out if you fit the companies criteria, but how do you find out if you fit the recruiter's criteria? Ask them what you need to do to get hired! Just like the person I mentioned above did!!!

Think about it...she can apply online with her revised resume that illustrates her qualifications according to company's criteria as well as as the format and layout the recruiter prefers.

Bam! A higher probability of getting that interview.

This initiative allows you to gather more critical information while demonstrating your resourcefulness.

Powerful combination if you ask me.