Companies and employers often hold hiring events, job fairs, or walk-in hours to offer instant interviews for particular job openings. These events are set-aside time for you to meet directly with a recruiter or hiring manager without having a previously scheduled interview.

Hiring events or job fairs typically last for a few hours on a particular day or over a few days, where walk-in hours happen on a cadence. Companies will hold walk-in hours when they have a recurring need and/or to offer multiple opportunities for people to attend.

Learn what to expect and how to prepare for these events below.

What to Expect

Once you arrive at the event, you’ll sign-in. As soon as a recruiter is available, they will conduct a brief one-on-one interview to learn about your qualifications and work history. If you meet the requirements of the available positions, they will have you complete any necessary hiring process steps that can be done at that time, like fill out paperwork or verify your education. Once that is complete, they will provide you with next steps, and you’ll be on your way to your new job.

How to Prepare

Be prepared to put your best foot forward at your next event with these five tips.

1. Confirm Event Details

Make sure you know when and where the event is happening, and add it to your calendar so you don’t forget and can easily find the event information. You may want to look up the event location prior to the day to ensure you know how to get there and how long it will take you. 

2. Review Job Openings 

Find out what positions they will be interviewing for and review the job descriptions for those positions to learn about the job responsibilities, requirements, pay, and benefits. This will allow you to spend more time focusing on how you’re a great fit for the position during the interview rather than reviewing available opportunities with the recruiter. Visit the company’s website to gather this information. 

3. Dress for Success 

While interviews in the manufacturing industry don’t typically require business professional attire, you still want to ensure that you are dressed neatly in clean clothing. Check out these blogs for tips on {{cta(‘f6406487-90fa-4df7-9102-cdf4472a7bbb’)}} and how to {{cta(‘e74fab21-2bed-4057-ad18-a09695bb8e8a’)}}.

4. Bring the Right Things

While it’s not typically necessary to bring a resume to walk-in interviews in the manufacturing industry, it will be beneficial for you to easily be able to share about your work history. Make sure you can relay where you’ve worked when and in what role. If you need to, even jot it down so you’ll have it handy. Be sure to bring a valid ID. And, it is usually beneficial to bring along proof of education if you have it available. While this is not required, it helps speed up the education verification process and gets you to your first day faster.

5. Be Yourself and Smile

The best thing you can do is relax, smile, and just be yourself. The interviewer is more interested in getting to know you than the person you may think they’re looking for. If interviews make you anxious, check out these {{cta(‘7a9b385f-c6b4-47cf-b963-5a84579674e1’)}} to go from nervous to natural.

Now that you’re prepared, put your hiring event and walk-in interview know-how to work. 

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