Avoid the Job-Fair Line

Avoid the Job-Fair LineAvoid the Job-Fair LineDont join the herd at the job fair, Stephen Viscusi advises. Make yourself stand out by approaching companies that arent actively canvassing for talent.Todays job fairs seem anything but fair to me.Have you noticed lately how every local TV news report has a weekly segment on a career or job fair? The footage may as well be recycled week after week the camera pans over a long line wrapping around a corner.My favorite part is when the reporter corners one of the attendees and gets her to talk about how this job seeker plans to stand out from the crowd.However, that same person talks on camera about how shes now begun to make friends in the job-fair lines because they all recognize one another from the previous weeks job fair. My advice It might be time to re-evaluate the standing out from the crowd strategy.Sadly, these unemployed job-fair attendees have become like lottery-ticket addicts. Do you know anybody who has actually landed an exe cutive position from a job fair? Really, think about it.I say nothing should be overlooked, from networking to online search engines to yes even job fairs. However, these fairs should be taken at face value.The real trick to make the best use of your time if youre looking for work? Approach companies that arent at job fairs.Find the ones that dont appear to be looking.Just like every employee has had a boss he cant stand, every boss has an employee she doesnt like. The boss may not have the nerve to fire that employee until the perfect replacement comes along and that could be you. So dont limit your search to those companies that are looking get your resume in front of everyone.This tip is among 50 secrets in my book Bulletproof Your Job (HarperCollins) to keep your job or find a new one.Taking the temp approachAnother secret if youre unemployed is to offer yourself to employers on a per-project or temp grund (but avoid the word consultant).Think about it Hires always come down to a decision between two or more final candidates. If you are unemployed and confident you can do the job, you have nothing to lose by taking some pressure off the hiring authority and suggesting he they basically tries you out for 60 days. Whether the job is entry-level or executive, what hiring manager would not hire a finalist with the option to just try them out, no strings attached? Its like leasing a car instead of buying Im told by readers of my book who have tried this technique that 95 percent of them go on to land a permanent job at the place where they auditioned for 60 days.Sure, my strategies for landing a job are more back-door approaches. However, during a recession, every executive needs an extra edge to separate her from the other final candidates, who are all lining up at the front door.