Recruiter Feedback: 2 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Job Applications

The HR Secret About Job Fairs (That They Don't Tell You) I found this article written for HR professionals by Dr. John Sullivan, a well-known HR thought leader. It confirms what job seekers have suspected for years. What #HR knows about job fairs: Ranked 1.6 out of 5 for #effectiveness – lowest of any hiring method #Produce less than 2% of all hires No one actually gets #hired at the event No one with #hiringauthority shows up to the job fair Attract the #unemployed, #recentgrads, and people with #littleexperience in the industry. And what do HR leaders say about the people who attend? "Many will forget to actually apply. Immediately after the event, you can plan on a high volume of barely qualified individuals to apply online all at once." Here's what I do instead of #wastingmytime: 1. #Research first. I call the #host to find out which employers are attending. If the roles don't fit my skills, or my industry - I don't go. 2. Apply 1 week before the fair. If I see a position that fits, I apply on the company website 5 days before. I've done this since 2011. I have never gotten an #interview at a #jobfair. 3. Ask for connections. I call the host to see if they have internal contacts with #hiringmanagers. They never do. Why? I don't get it. This is better than driving from #LakeElsinore to #Hemet, spending $25 on gas, standing in 100-degree heat, and being told by a clueless junior recruiter: "We can't take resumes, but you can apply online." Then what happens next is laughable. I tell them, "Look. I'm not reactive. I'm proactive. I already applied nline for these 3 roles 5 days ago." They look confused. One even said "Oh, we are hiring but I'm not sure for what roles. Scan this QR code to find out." This has gotten worse since 2011. Why go to job fairs if they're just #corporatebranding #events? It's #theater. Nothing more. I don't have time for tween HR recruiters. I stay home. I'd rather have a root canal again than to waste my time in driving 50 miles round trip wasting 4 hours. And #HumanResource #Professionals still do this and still use us. It should be #illegal to do this. The article can be found here: https://lnkd.in/g4tEDHz6

Are you (still) looking for a role in Austin? I’m not sure which specific companies are showing up, but the focus is on professional sales and management roles. Check out the details below! Hello, In case you missed our previous email, we want to encourage you to share this email with other people who might be open to hearing about new opportunities.  The simple act of pressing the forward button or sending a text may energize someone else's job search or they may share it with others. This career fair is focused on professional sales and management opportunities. Skip blind resume filters, phone screens and jump to authentic meetings with hiring managers. It’s an effective way to meet the hiring managers and decision makers from multiple companies within multiple industries.   Austin Sales and Management Career Fair Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 Starts at 6pm Courtyard Marriott Austin-Pflugerville 16100 Impact Way Pflugerville, TX 78660 Click Here to Pre-Register Offered: Base salary + commissions Free to attend Interview with multiple companies in one location Evening hours Employer presentation format Jumpstart the hiring process to fast track to offers Here’s how it works: we will welcome you with a formal executive presentation in which each company will introduce itself and the opportunities they offer. You will then be free to meet with hiring managers from each company that has attracted your interest. This is not a cattle call job fair. About Us: United Career Fairs was established in 2009 with executives that had over a decade of industry experience prior to founding the company. Our national schedule includes over 160 events annually, several of them in your local area. These events have become a hotspot for job seekers to make meaningful connections with hiring managers from multiple companies. Our reputation has helped us establish strong relationships with thousands of hiring companies. We encourage you to pre-register and then attend. Job seekers who attend our events are more likely to obtain a new position than those who only ‘apply’ to job postings. Sincerely, The Team at United Career Fairs

The Job Fair Illusion: Why Most Hiring Events Are Operational Theater Every few months cities host large job fairs promising “thousands of opportunities.” But if you break down how these events actually operate, the numbers tell a completely different story. Let’s look at the math. A typical job fair advertises: • 80–120 companies attending • each company sends 2 representatives • each company claims 4–6 open positions On paper that sounds impressive. But run the numbers. 100 companies × 5 jobs each = 500 jobs available Now look at the candidate side. Large job fairs routinely attract 5,000–10,000 job seekers. Before any interview even begins, the competition ratio becomes roughly: 20 candidates for every single job. And that’s assuming every company present is actually hiring. But here’s where the system starts showing cracks. When candidates approach booths, the interaction almost always ends the same way: “Scan this QR code.” “Apply online.” “All the requirements are on our website.” Which raises a very basic operational question. If the hiring process starts online, continues online, and ends online… what exactly is the function of the physical event? Because behind the booths, the reality looks different from the marketing. Most representatives attending job fairs are not hiring managers. They are HR coordinators or employer branding representatives who cannot: • conduct formal interviews • bypass ATS systems • approve hiring decisions • move candidates directly to final stages Even when a resume is handed to them, the candidate usually receives the same instruction afterward: “Please apply online so your application enters our system.” Which means the conversation at the booth rarely changes the hiring outcome. Now consider what happens inside that system. Large companies receive hundreds or thousands of applications per role. Most organizations now rely on Applicant Tracking Systems that automatically filter candidates based on: • keywords • experience thresholds • screening responses • education filters Multiple hiring studies have shown that a large majority of applications never reach human review. So the resume handed to a recruiter at a booth often ends up competing in the same automated funnel as the rest of the internet. Which reveals a deeper structural truth. Most job fairs are not designed as hiring mechanisms. They function closer to career marketing expos. For companies, job fairs generate: • employer brand visibility • campus or community presence • pipeline awareness • diversity outreach metrics For organizers, they generate revenue through: • booth rentals • sponsorship packages • event tickets • employment program funding For recruiters attending, performance is often measured by: • number of conversations • resumes collected • candidate engagement Notice what is rarely measured. Actual hires made on the floor.

Recruitment has changed. A lot. And sometimes, the opportunity you are looking for doesn’t come from sending another CV. It comes from being seen. I was reminded of this recently after a conversation with someone navigating the job market here in Montreal. It’s not easy. What once seemed more straightforward, even during COVID, has changed tremendously. Today, it’s no longer enough to simply send out your CV, apply to postings online, and wait for responses. Sometimes they come. But more often than not, they don’t. And when they don’t, it’s easy to start wondering 𝘸𝘩𝘺. But the truth is, there can be many reasons, most of which have absolutely nothing to do with the candidate themselves. So instead of getting stuck in the “why,” perhaps it’s time to level up how you are creating momentum for opportunities to find you. Visibility matters. And visibility doesn’t happen by staying behind the computer. It happens by being present both online and in person. Online visibility might look like: • Engaging with people on LinkedIn • Sharing insights or reflections about your field • Writing about the kind of work that interests you • Letting others see who you are professionally When people start seeing you, conversations begin. Conversations lead to connections. Connections often lead to opportunities. In fact, that is exactly how I was noticed and approached for the work I am doing today; supporting others in their career journeys. Sometimes the opportunity finds you when you simply show up and make yourself visible. And then there is the power of being present in person. Attend career fairs. Networking events. Industry gatherings. I have seen people get interviewed on the spot at career fairs, and later offered a job. If we want to see a different result, sometimes we need to look at what we are doing and ask ourselves if it’s time to change the approach. Doing more of the same rarely creates a different outcome. Spring is around the corner. A season of movement, renewal, and reconnection. If you are currently navigating the job market, this might be the perfect time to step out, show up, and make yourself visible. For those in Montreal, here is a list of upcoming career fairs you may want to explore: https://lnkd.in/e-YFRUif You never know what could be waiting for you. Sometimes it really is about timing, place, and being in the right environment. Time to change it up. Your next opportunity might be waiting in a room you haven’t walked into yet. Because sometimes the opportunity you are looking for doesn’t come from sending another CV. It comes from being seen. (𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 — 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 110 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 credit: Razan Elkhatib) #jobsearch #networking #careers #montreal #womensupportingwomen

Recruiters, Talent Acquisition Managers and Hiring Managers — if your organisation expects to hire in 2026, it may be worth considering a presence at Jobs Expo Spring 2026. https://lnkd.in/eJifWgdk The events will take place in Cork, Dublin and Galway, bringing together a broad mix of job seekers, graduates, career changers and experienced professionals who are actively exploring opportunities. Career and recruitment fairs continue to be a practical hiring channel. Research shows: - 45% of job fair attendees receive at least one interview invitation after attending an event. () - Around 24% of attendees receive a job offer, highlighting the strong conversion potential compared with standard online applications. - In-person career fair attendance has increased significantly in recent years, with median attendance rising from 419 to around 700 participants per event. - At some job fairs, 75% of employers conduct live interviews and around 25% make a hire directly from the event. For employers, events like Jobs Expo provide an opportunity to: - Meet motivated candidates face-to-face - Promote current vacancies and upcoming roles - Increase employer brand visibility - Build a pipeline of potential hires for future roles If your organisation is planning recruitment activity in the coming months, securing a stand early may be beneficial. Spring 2026 events: 📍 Cork - 11th April, Clayton Hotel Silver Springs 📍 Dublin - 25th April, RDS 📍 Galway - 9th May, The Ardilaun Hotel #MondayMotivation #TalentAcquisition #EmployerBranding

In 2026’s job market, employers often ask “Where are the good candidates?” while candidates ask “Where are the good companies?” but the surprising truth is they want many of the same things: stability, opportunity, clear expectations, and workplaces where they can do their best work. 💪🏼 Smart companies are closing the gap by being transparent about culture and growth, communicating clearly, and creating meaningful connections, not just posting jobs and waiting. Hiring events and direct conversations help both sides align faster. Catalyst Career Group helps employers fill roles faster, without compromising quality. 🔗 Read the full article → https://buff.ly/sS0PNQP Jeff Straub Jeff Naugle Catalyst Career Group | Job Fairs Nationwide & Private Interviewing Events

Recruiters, Talent Acquisition Managers and Hiring Managers — if your organisation expects to hire in 2026, it may be worth considering a presence at Jobs Expo Spring 2026. https://lnkd.in/ebj6pUtm The events will take place in Cork, Dublin and Galway, bringing together a broad mix of job seekers, graduates, career changers and experienced professionals who are actively exploring opportunities. Career and recruitment fairs continue to be a practical hiring channel. Research shows: - 45% of job fair attendees receive at least one interview invitation after attending an event. () - Around 24% of attendees receive a job offer, highlighting the strong conversion potential compared with standard online applications. - In-person career fair attendance has increased significantly in recent years, with median attendance rising from 419 to around 700 participants per event. - At some job fairs, 75% of employers conduct live interviews and around 25% make a hire directly from the event. For employers, events like Jobs Expo provide an opportunity to: - Meet motivated candidates face-to-face - Promote current vacancies and upcoming roles - Increase employer brand visibility - Build a pipeline of potential hires for future roles If your organisation is planning recruitment activity in the coming months, securing a stand early may be beneficial. Spring 2026 events: 📍 Cork - 11th April, Clayton Hotel Silver Springs 📍 Dublin - 25th April, RDS 📍 Galway - 9th May, The Ardilaun Hotel #MondayMotivation #TalentAcquisition #EmployerBranding

Feeling the Job Search Getting Tougher? You’re Not Alone. A recent U.S. job seeker survey found that 58 % of people expect finding work to be more difficult in the first half of 2026, and 37 % believe there are fewer job opportunities than a year ago. Instead of endlessly scrolling job boards or submitting applications into a void, TalentAlly’s virtual career fairs and hiring events put you directly in front of U.S. employers who are actively recruiting right now. #jobsearch #jobs #careerfair #jobsearchtips #career #job

In 2026’s job market, employers often ask “Where are the good candidates?” while candidates ask “Where are the good companies?” but the surprising truth is they want many of the same things: stability, opportunity, clear expectations, and workplaces where they can do their best work. 💪🏼 Smart companies are closing the gap by being transparent about culture and growth, communicating clearly, and creating meaningful connections, not just posting jobs and waiting. Hiring events and direct conversations help both sides align faster. Catalyst Career Group helps employers fill roles faster, without compromising quality. 🔗 Read the full article → https://buff.ly/sS0PNQP Jeff Naugle Jeff Straub Catalyst Career Group | Job Fairs Nationwide & Private Interviewing Events

They communicate who they are, not just what they’re hiring for. 🗣️ In today’s labor market, candidates aren’t just choosing roles. They’re choosing environments where they feel valued, supported, and challenged to grow. Employers who clearly outline leadership style, career paths, flexibility, and performance expectations are attracting candidates who already feel aligned before day one. The Hiring Disconnect of 2026 isn’t about scarcity, it’s about strategy. The fix? Transparency. Alignment. Real conversations. Catalyst Career Group helps employers fill roles faster, without compromising quality. 🔗 Read the full article → https://buff.ly/sS0PNQP Jeff Straub Jeff Naugle Catalyst Career Group | Job Fairs Nationwide & Private Interviewing Events