Virtual Events For Career Fairs and Recruitment Marketing

The following is a guest post by Joe Shaker, Jr.

Introduction

For 60 years, Shaker Recruitment Advertising & Communications (SRAC) has helped organizations realize their business objectives by connecting them with top talent through employer branding, employee and candidate communications, interactive media, campaign development, collateral and metrics. For over 3 years, Shaker’s Virtual Events have paired INXPO’s unrivaled 3-D technology with SRAC’s recruitment marketing/career fair expertise to create 360° virtual career fair solutions that are redefining the way people think of the job fair.

Virtual Events Hit The Strip

Most recently, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which is set to open on the Las Vegas Strip later this year, sought an innovative way to engage candidates, locally as well as nationally, for their 5,000+ openings. Just as they are poised to add a unique, game-changing and luxurious perspective to the Las Vegas landscape, The Cosmopolitan needed an innovative event that would reflect their core values and unique outlook.

On September 28, Shaker Recruitment Advertising & Communications produced The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Virtual Career Connection, a virtual event. In ground-breaking fashion, the event was first-of-its-kind in Las Vegas, and the resort/gaming industry in general, generating over 6,000 registrants nationally for numerous positions. Recruiters and Hiring Managers from The Cosmopolitan were able to chat live, exchange information and present current career opportunities to thousands of candidates in Virtual Booths and a Networking Lounge.

Shaker created a custom event site that provided pertinent event information for prospective candidates with a registration page (www.thecosmopolitanvirtualcareerconnection.com) and executed a strategic multi-media marketing plan which drove traffic to the event.

The event also garnered widespread exposure from major local and national media – including CNN Headline News – with viral updates via Twitter.

Virtual Event Details

When the Virtual Event opened, candidates were directed to a landing page that featured a customized view of the Vegas strip with The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas resort front and center. Once inside the Exhibit Hall, candidates were welcomed to the event by a video featuring one of The Cosmopolitan’s charismatic CoStars. The event also included video presentations featuring a message from the CEO, John Unwin, as well as an employment-focused video highlighting the benefits of working at this exciting new resort. Shaker created various booths according to job classification, and a Networking Lounge where Candidates interacted “live” with Hiring Managers, Recruiters and fellow Candidates in group and individual chats

Feedback from participants and The Cosmopolitan alike has been effusive, with all parties commending the unique, innovative nature of the event and appreciating the flexibility that virtual offers.

A candidate remarked, “I just heard about the virtual career fair this morning and this is just mind blowing. AWESOME.”

Daniel E. Espino, Vice President, People at The Cosmopolitan, had this to say about the event:  “This was a great opportunity to let applicants talk with recruiters in a more comfortable environment. What’s good for the community is good for us. And we had a lot of fun doing this.”

Conclusion

All of this provides further evidence that new and progressive ways of thinking are welcome, integral and viable in the recruiting space. As the economy improves, Virtual will play a prominent role on the front line of the impending war for talent. A Shaker Virtual Event provides all the benefits of a physical event (such as live, real-time interaction, networking and presentations) in a cost-effective, time-efficient Virtual environment that balances game-changing innovation with ease-of-use.