Insider Tips: What Job Fair Attendees Really Need to Know (From Those Who’ve Been There!)

There’s nothing like advice from colleagues who have gone before you!

Here’s a few of the suggestions candidates shared with the next job fair attendees.

Prepare beforehand

• “It definitely helped that I had emailed the school in advance so when I approached them for an interview time they were already familiar with who I was and were happy to make a time to see me”.
• “Be prepared to have your referees contacted over the weekend- phone them in advance”.
• “I probably missed some communication somewhere, but found out informally from other candidates about features on the website and had no idea beforehand how the fair would run and wanted a clear outline of process and procedures.”

“This information can be found on your fair dashboard, and the online fair portal when it opens.” Nick Kendell 

The Fair Portal

• ” I used the school’s information to obtain a quick snapshot of the school, which was very useful. The recruiter information was very helpful also as it allowed me to personalise cover letters and note down the names of the recruiters I wanted to meet and jog my memory of names before interviews. I also viewed the school presentation details and the position matches.”
• “The portal was really useful – a one-stop shop. Great to have all the information so easily accessible. Great organisation of the information under different categories too.”
• ” It was great for checking updated positions of schools at the fair.”
• “I used it to address recruiters by name, research schools, check jobs – it was absolutely invaluable.”
•  “The fair portal downloads information much faster than the website.”

Researching schools

• “School presentations gave us excellent insights into schools and the reality of working internationally. In the end this was what made the difference for us in following up a school we initially didn’t target.”
• “The ability to meet prospective employers was one of the greatest benefits of the fair even if they had no suitable current vacancies.”
• “The Chinese visa requirement for all teachers to have min. 2-years F/T secondary teaching experience was a fact learned at the fair. It would have been great to learn such a fact from Search Associates before attending, so to help my analysis…we live & learn”.

“Advice from schools in Beijing: “To qualify for a work visa in China, a Bachelor’s degree is the minimum qualification that will be recognized in China even with teaching certification.  We advise older candidates under offer from a school in China to ask the school’s HR department to verify that a work visa will be granted to enable them to complete the contract with the school. Nowadays China will no longer issue a work permit if the ‘non-criminal record certificate’ is not spotless.” See the Fair Document section for the HIRING PROFILE OF ATTENDING SCHOOLS to see what else is required to work at a school.” Nick Kendell

Personal Care

• “I would add that blocking out time for lunch and afternoon tea breaks in their schedule is very important”.
• “Suggest people bring snacks- keep up your energy.”
• “Don’t forget your water bottle!”

Your attitude

• “Be prepared for lots of interviews and no offers”.

Take advantage of the support offered

• I cannot speak highly enough for the insight, support, and assistance provided to me by the associates at the fair. The well-rounded and thoughtful advice I received when I was overwhelmed by the decision-making process was pivotal to helping me make a sensible and ‘right for me’ decision.
• It was great to have someone on hand who knows IB- all Search staff have taught or implemented IB in their schools.
• The panel of experts (Search Associates advisors) were great. It was so nice to talk it through with someone who knew what they were talking about (as opposed to our family).

 “Please make contact with any of the Search Associates advisors at the fair.” Nick Kendell

Job Offers

• “Let teachers know that the fair is a time when the recruiters are very interested in considering candidates and making offers”.
• “Advise candidates to ask the school’s HR department to verify that a work visa will be granted to enable them to complete the contract with the school”.

Questions

• If a job was there and now not, which is correct?

“The most up-to-date job list is the one handwritten by the recruiter when they arrive. These are displayed around the hotel. We also expect that this list will be updated on the online fair portal.” Nick Kendell

• Do I need to tell a school about my DUI?

“We advise that you are transparent with schools about your past and disclose any information to any school that you apply to through Search Associates.” Nick Kendell

Still have questions or lingering doubts? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the fair organizers for additional guidance. They’re there to support you and help you navigate the job search process. Good luck!