Operation Job Search by John Henry Weiss

Author:John Henry Weiss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2016-01-19T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

How to Work a Trade Show to Meet Hiring Managers

A trade show is a gathering of workers from companies in a specific industry. The purpose of a trade show is to give companies an opportunity to display their products and advertise their services in exhibit booths located on the floor of a convention center.

Trade shows go by different names—conventions, conferences, exhibits, expos, trade fairs, trade exhibitions—but all mean the same thing. Usually they are held at convention centers, which are located in major cities or state capitals. Sometimes they meet in hotels or resorts that have large rooms for hosting exhibits and smaller rooms to host “breakout sessions” where industry experts present new products or discuss research and industry trends.

Industry professional organizations host these shows, which are extremely costly to sponsor. Some of those costs are defrayed by member dues and by conference attendance fees.

An example of a trade show is the world’s largest technology show called the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which convenes every January in Las Vegas. In 2015, attendance at this show exceeded 150,000, including 35,000 people from foreign countries. More than 3,000 companies attended and hosted exhibits. Can you imagine 3,000 potential employers under one roof? If you are interested in technology, you cannot afford to miss CES. For more information and to register for the next show, go to www.cesweb.org.

Attending trade shows is the most productive method for job hunting. However, how do you know where to go and what to do once you find yourself in a convention hall? In this chapter, I will give you instructions for attending trade shows, as well as the names and locations of the major convention centers across the country.

PREPARATION CHECKLIST FOR ATTENDING A CONVENTION

One does not just show up at an exhibit and expect miracles to happen. In order to reap maximum benefits from attending a trade show, plan for it in advance. Here is a checklist and suggestions for planning purposes:

• Your primary purpose for attending these events is to visit the many exhibit booths where you will find hiring managers. Many shows hold exhibits only on specific days and at specific hours. For example, the dates listed for CES, the technology conference in Las Vegas, may be January 10–16, but the exhibits could be open only on January 11–15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can find this information online, or by calling the conference center or the organization hosting the show. This is important because you are attending the conference primarily to visit the exhibit booths where you will find the hiring managers. There is no need to attend the conference on days when the exhibits are not open.

• The organization sponsoring the conference publishes a list of companies attending (online and in the printed conference program) and the names of the representatives who will be attending, along with their contact information. Obtain a list either online or at the conference center.

• Bring at least 100 business cards and 20 resumes to the exhibit each day.

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