What Our Poll Reveals About Job Fair Value

New poll results from Jobtrees reveal mixed feelings about job fairs—but also show where the opportunity still exists.

We recently asked our community:

“I believe there is value in attending job fairs.”

Here’s how people responded:

😍 13% Strongly Agree

🟢 36% Agree

⚪ 29% Feel Neutral

🔴 22% Disagree

That means nearly half of jobseekers (49%) still believe job fairs hold value, while the other half either aren’t convinced or don’t think they’re worth the effort. So… are job fairs worth your time?

Let’s break it down—and show you how you can use AI and Jobtrees.com to maximize your efforts whether you attend or skip the next one.

Who Benefits Most from Job Fairs?

Job fairs (both virtual and in-person) are most useful if you:

1. Are exploring multiple industries or roles and want face time with recruiters
2. Are a recent graduate looking to build connections fast
3. Want to ask direct questions about company culture or hiring needs
4. Thrive in networking environments and pitching yourself in person

Why Some Jobseekers Feel Neutral (or Negative)

For others, job fairs may feel unproductive because:

1. The companies there aren’t a great match
2. The event is crowded and hard to stand out
3. They prefer to apply online or network in more targeted ways
4. They’ve had past experiences where no real opportunities came from attending

The good news? Job fairs don’t have to be all or nothing. They can be part of a larger job search strategy—and that’s where Jobtrees comes in.

Better Strategy: Combine Job Fairs + Jobtrees Tools

If you do plan to attend a job fair, don’t go in blind. Instead, use Jobtrees and AI tools to research smarter and connect more intentionally.

🧠 AI Tip: Let AI research the companies attending the job fair for you.

Here’s how:

1. Look up the list of participating employers on the event page.
2. Paste the list into an AI tool like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Claude, Gemini or Perplexity and prompt:
3. “Analyze the following companies and tell me which ones align with a content/marketing/engineering [your field] background and are currently hiring for remote/hybrid roles.”
4. Ask AI to highlight company values, growth trends, or recent news that will help you prep questions and stand out.

Pair this with these Jobtrees' Tools:

Career Experience Match Tool to:

See which roles your experience qualifies you for

➡️ Match Your Experience

Explore Career Paths (Jobtrees):

Explore career paths & related roles

➡️ Career Paths

Don’t Want to Go to Job Fairs? You’re Not Alone

If you’re in the 51% who feel neutral or disagree, that’s okay too. There are other smart ways to connect with companies:

Explore Companies

Discover what past employees say about their work environment

➡️ Company Review Sites

➡️ How to Find the Right Company with AI

Tap into LinkedIn networking and email outreach

➡️ LinkedIn Profile Writing with AI

➡️ Alternate Networking Sites

Build a searchable resume and profile that recruiters can find through job boards

➡️ Resume From Scratch with AI

Job fairs can still be valuable—but only when you go in with a strategy. Whether you’re all in, on the fence, or skipping them entirely, tools like AI and Jobtrees can help you save time, target the right companies, and feel more confident in your next move.