Why you should attend an international job fair

If you want to work internationally, why would you waste your time at a domestic job fair? Bilingual People tells The Local about their international (and even virtual) recruitment fairs – and why job-seekers travel across Europe to attend.

Published: Fri 15 Jul 2016 08:59 CEST
Why you should attend an international job fair
Photo: Kathryn Decker/Flickr

When was the last time you went to a job fair?

If you answered “never”, “I can’t remember”, or even “last week at the local employment agency”, maybe it’s time for a change.

“For those who want an exciting job and aren’t too attached to a certain place, it’s definitely worth travelling to one of our recruitment fairs,” says Elsa Thumerel at Bilingual People.

Let’s put it this way: in a globalised and internationally-mobile world, why wouldn’t you look to the global market for employment?

“International experience is a great asset on a CV nowadays, and gives the opportunity to develop professional and personal skills,” Thumerel adds. “Bilingual People fairs are about offering candidates a chance to look for global opportunities.”

But if you’re thinking it’s easier to email your CV to a potential employer, you’re missing out.

“Our job fairs create an environment for people with language skills to meet their potential employers,” Thumerel explains. “Job-seekers can meet with blue-chip companies working throughout Europe, get CV advice, and ask questions. It’s almost like a pre-interview.”

As the name implies, Bilingual People works with job-seekers who are – you guessed it – bilingual or multilingual. While the company works with all languages, Thumerel adds that German, Dutch, French, and the Scandinavian languages are in highest demand among the companies they work with.

Register for the next Bilingual People Fair: Berlin, June 18th

 “Our clients sometimes struggle to recruit those with skills in Swedish, Norwegian, and Dutch, for example,” Thumerel says. “So they come to our fairs to meet a substantial number of candidates with these uncommon skills.”

The next recruitment event takes place in Berlin on June 18th, and Thumerel recommends pre-registering – as there are a limited number of free passes and the event is almost guaranteed to sell out.

“Each time about 60 percent of the job-seekers have travelled specially for the event – which really shows recruiters that they’re keen in putting in the effort and eager to relocate,” Thumerel says. “Many candidates come from abroad to attend.”

But for those who can’t make the journey there are other options. Bilingual People also hosts “virtual recruitment fairs” throughout the year.

“It’s kind of like Second Life for recruitment,” Thumerel explains. “You log in during the event and have access to info, videos, and job applications. Our virtual job fairs are exactly the same as the physical ones, with stands where attendees can chat with recruiters and leave a CV. You just don’t have to travel.”

Upcoming Bilingual People Fairs:

Physical events

- Amsterdam, 10th September – NH Grand Krasnapolsky

- Krakow, 1st October – Sheraton Hotel

Virtual events

- Ireland Relocation Virtual Recruitment Fair, 22nd September

- UK Multilingual Virtual Recruitment Fair, 13th October

- German Relocation Virtual Recruitment Fair, 27th October

Further info on http://www.bilingualpeople.com/

This article was produced by The Local and sponsored by Bilingual People.

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