People still attend job fairs to meet recruiters and hiring managers, to hand them a resume in exchange for a business card and hope that something comes out of it.

In my experience, job fairs can still be a good way to meet people and to find a new job but it can take awhile. You might get a job interview quickly (and possibly a job) if you link up with an actual hiring manager who likes your background. When you meet a recruiter, it might be more a case where you have to wait until a suitable job arises that matches your skills.

There is also the question of how to actually approach these job fairs and what to bring.

We already spoke about getting some professionally made personal business cards if you’re not currently working or even if you are working but are looking for a new job. This can be a great way to exchange contact information with people you’re networking with.

On the issue of whether or not to bring a stack of your resumes in hard copy and hand them out to everyone you meet, I’m torn.

Unless they’re working like neanderthals (and some recruiters do) most recruitment companies use a resume database just like everyone else does these days so even if you hand someone a hard copy of your resume, they’re most likely going to ask you to email them a copy in Word. So in that regard, having a hard copy of the resume doesn’t do a lot except that it possibly allows the person you’re meeting with to glance at it quickly and maybe ask you a question or two about your background.

When attending job fairs these days, ask for a business card from the person you meet, have your own personal business cards ready to hand out in response (most people don’t have them so this can help you stand out from your competitors) and be ready to discuss your skills, experience, and motivation for looking for a new job. If you each have a copy of your respective business card to exchange, you’ll be able to keep in touch and it will probably help to keep you top of mind in the eyes of the hiring manager moreso than handing them a paper copy of your resume like everyone else does.