Job Fairs SUCK!!! Written by CK on 05/22/2008I took a half-day off to go to a job fair today. I thought that it should be a good one because it was sponsored by Monster.com! There was another one the day before but decided to skip that one for the Monster.com one!

I got there early and the place was PACKED outside!!! Everyone was wearing suits as was I. They had us line up along the hallway and the line doubled back and back again it was so long (a sign of the times). As I stood in line I was talking to my fellow job-seeker. As we were exchanging information regarding job-searches the person was telling me that the other job-fair was HUGE! But it was filled with almost nothing but sales jobs. Another person chimed it and said that despite the size it was a waste of time and to be glad that I didn't go.

Well considering that I was there early to stand in line it didn't take me too long to get inside the sacred room of potential jobs ... When I walked in there were about eight companies - TOTAL! Most jobs there were, guess what! - SALES!!!

But I do have to admit that there were some other interesting and exciting companies and positions! I could work as a truck driver for a waste-disposal company (trashman). Boy I KNOW my heart skipped a beat when I saw that one! Just think, I could go through all the stuff that others threw out and take it home! Talk about recycling!

There were the car rental companies ... with the price of gas and the state of the economy I just can't see people traveling much as they try to cut costs like everyone else ... But I could drive around in the newest cars to 'check them out' and dream of owning one some day.

Or I could work at a restaurant ... hmmm ... free food?!? I'd probably would need it because the wages would be too low to feed my family as we would also have to move into a one bedroom, low-wage housing project. I would probably need to purchase another gun for protection. That leads me to the next job offering ...

Then there was the MOST exciting job there!!! The National Guard!!! Boy I can just imagine having them place a rifle in my hands! The memories of shooting rabbits comes into mind - but the chances now that I would be transferred to Iraq and shooting people! I don't recall during my childhood of any rabbits shooting back ... NAW ... not for me - thanks, but no thanks!

Then there was a college recruiter ... OK, I can have FUN with this one ... Well they DON'T have any positions open - they are looking to attact students! (just let me put on my EVIL hat ... hee, hee, hee!) "Well what programs or degrees are you offering (I start off innocent)?" - "You can get a BS degree or a Masters in Business Administration (MBA)." I respond with a "WOW! An MBA!!! That is GREAT!!! Are you tell me that my chances of getting an MBA from your school increases my chances of a better job?" (Of course they would say that I would - they are selling the school!) I respond again in like - "WOW!!! That sounds GREAT!!! But I ALREADY have an MBA and can't find a decent job!" ....... Oh ...... NEXT?

I think I will stick to the job fairs at the Universities from now on - all other job fairs are a total waste of my time. As a matter of fact I would recommend that all the job-fair companies that they should refer to the first company I mentioned - Waste Management, because that is where they belong! Read 14 Replies   |   Add a Reply

     

Posted by BonusOnus on 05/22/2008:
CK, I don't know where you are living but your local job environment sounds like what it was like here (Silicon Valley) during 2002/the post-dot-com days. There are a few job fairs here and there but I never heard that it was that bad. 2) Don't trash the trash collectors. I have a friend who works in trash collection. He was a garbageman for about 10 years and then moved up to management. He makes close to six figures now. No one wants to work in that environment - thus, the compensations have to be high. Granted, if it weren't for labor unions, the garbage companies would hire illegal aliens and pay them 20% of what they are paying the current workers. The one downside of my friend's job is that he can't get a date (and he's not an ugly guy or a socially-retarded one). It's just that as soon as the women hear that he works as a garbage collector, bye-bye.

Posted by CK on 05/22/2008:
Bonus - I was only trying to make light of the situation! If you read the rest of my post you would realize the whole thing is in jest! But in truth they only did have driver positions available and considering my education, experience, as well as age, I don't feel like starting at the very bottom and work my way up.

Posted by Fedup-TimeOut on 05/22/2008:
Job fairs really do suck! I stopped going to them. I guess they are the same no matter which city/state. 97% sales, 2% "marketing," and 1% fluff.

Posted by Wage Slave on 05/23/2008:
Please try www.usajobs.gov This site lists federal according to your area. There are military jobs listed and civilian jobs. This is a legitimate site run by the government. No fees and no scams. You may start out at the bottom but once you pass probation you have an advantage when bidding for jobs. I know you are intelligent because you have a sense of humor. Intelligence go hand in hand. Best of luck.

Posted by My Two Cents on 05/23/2008:
The job fair you described sounds like the many I have seen over the years. Absolute waste of time. I remember one promising organization and I asked them how I could get a job there. They said, "Our jobs are listed on our website and that's where you apply for them." OK. Then why did I waste my time, gas, and parking money to go to this job fair when all I have to do is search for jobs online? So I went to this organizations website and they had 3 jobs listed - none of which I qualified for. So much for that! The fact that a university would go to a job fair fishing for students disgusts me. They do this all the time and they should be banned. The people at job fairs need JOBS & MONEY. An extra $50,000 debt for a masters degree with no sure way to pay it off when you graduate sounds like financial suicide. And by the way, Career Builder and Monster have been totally useless for me. The ONLY way I have ever found jobs is through the US government website and Craigslist. I think maybe I will write my own rant about being unemployed and looking for a job - it's almost as bad as HAVING a job you hate! ha, ha...

Posted by CK on 05/23/2008:
While I was there I talk to people - anyone really. I introduced myself to this one young lady. I come to find out that she was under a lot of stress. She is a teacher facing a layoff, about to into a new house, and was engaged to be married. No pressure there!

Posted by CK on 05/26/2008:
I am getting REALLY discouraged and frustrated looking! Thank goodness that I DO have a job right now but they are talking layoffs next budget year and I know that I would be on 'the list' to be let go - so you can understand my concern. I had recently read that in my state there is a great divide between the rich and the poor with few middle-class between. This is because of the large service industry here. And that divide is growing! I consider myself middle-class. I knew a former co-worker who was let go two years ago. Within that time she went from middle-class to poor, being unable to find another job that didn't pay much. Another, a former class-mate, is in the very same situation! The former class-mate has three Masters Degrees! Another former class-mate is about to graduate with a dual Masters Degree and can only find a job that pays $35,000 - and that is a management position! There are times I feel like SCREAMING out at the top of my lungs but even though it would feel good for the moment it will not solve anything! From what I read and hear, the whole country is like that. My parents keep telling me that it is looking more and more like the Great Depression and not just a Recession like we are told. More homes are up for sale in my hood - one has been up for sale for over a year! I know so many people who are laid off or others telling me that they just got axed. They too are looking and not finding anything as well. In the mean time I feel management (or at least a good portion of them) are taking advantage of it - abusing employees along with low pay. I also read that IT workers are making about 20,000 pounds a year for the past few years in England. Employers are shifting all their work to India. The issue they are having is the lack of people in IT to fill the upper positions (kinda hard if the bottom rung is missing - duh!). But I also read that India will be in for a rude awakening! Employers are now starting to find even LOWER paid IT people in Africa! This will drain the IT employers from India to Africa!

Posted by labtech on 05/29/2008:
Yep, they outsource everything they can. In my state, if you want help with, get this, welfare information, you telephone...INDIA. Yes, they couldn't even train a person here to answer the phones, getting them OFF the dole, they'd rather pay ten bucks a day for someone in India to answer the phone - and of course, provide the kind of service you hear about in horror stories.

Posted by Dumber than a Catbox full of sh*t on 05/30/2008:
In the world of teaching there are always job fairs. I think what they do at least in my field is that Administrators go to job fairs, and look for teachers that they think they would like better than the ones thay have--they are looking to "trade-up" not fill positions. Also, by the huge school system having their own job fairs it makes it look like they are always looking to improve the schools, etc....

Posted by CK on 06/01/2008:
So cat, you're saying that the job fairs you go to are nothing but a shell game? Well, there is a job fair at my old school this Friday. Som of the companies are the same old ones that are at the regular fairs ... ho hum ... But there are some new ones as well! There is one that I have applyed to be for on a couple of occations but never got an interview! Well now I will meet them face-to-face regarding a position that they have open - that I want! I will being my (not so) little career portfolio and explain what I can do for THEM! There are also a couple of other companies that I have heard of before as well as a couple I haven't. So I keep hopeful!

Posted by Dumber than a Catbox full of sh*t on 06/01/2008:
CK--I can only speak for the world of education--but yes, in education I think that they are a shell game. I wouldn't be surprised if job fairs for other careere/industries are similar.

Posted by new discrimination on 06/29/2008:
We just had one in my hometown but only spanish speaking people were invited. Isn't that discrimination?

Posted by job seeker on 09/30/2008:
That about sums up the Monster.com job fairs I've been to in Southern California: mostly sales and financial advisor positions. Has anybody gone to a Tech/Engineering/Security Clearance job fair from targetedjobfairs.com? I imagine they'd be a bit more selective in terms of the employers there, but I want to make sure before I go across the country to attend one.

Posted by BABABABA on 03/08/2011:
Hey folks I think you are getting a great handle on job fairs. They are better for advertising for a company than they are for getting you a job. It also gives companies a bigger talent pool to choose from. But yeah, most hiring decisions are not made at job fairs. They take your resume and put them in a pool with other hundreds of candidates and maybe....maaaaaybe they might contact someone who is stellar for their needs on that pile.

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