We’re hearing clients ask a lot about how to take their ‘in-real-life’ (IRL) events virtual during these trying times and – odds are – you’re probably wondering this yourself.
Their first questions are usually about which virtual job fair tools they should use and what products are out there. Maybe you’ve started this research too?
The good news is there are quite a few tools you can consider that are easy to implement and offer live chat/video, collaboration and interactive sharing, event registration and reporting. I’ll give you a hint which one I like at the end.
The bad news is if your IRL event stinks, then this virtual event you’re planning might stink as well.
So, let’s pause discussion about platform and tools for just a minute and step back to decide what type of event you want to run.
#1 – quality of candidate OR quantity of candidate.
It’s tough to have both, but you must decide whether you want to measure success by how many people show up or how many qualified people show up. This greatly affects your marketing and approach to the event.
#2 – participate and engage OR observe and learn.
A job seeker attends an in-person event because it provides immediate gratification that their application could be considered. The ability to ask questions and put a face to a name humanizes the experience. Going virtual shouldn’t limit that human touch. In fact, due to our current landscape, I’d argue it creates more engagement because we have their undivided attention in their home with their eyeballs on their device.
#3 – story-telling OR story-doing.
You can tell a story to a group of people, or you can have them act it out and relive it. Which group do you think will recall what they learned best? A virtual environment allows us to be creative with how we tell our story. With the audience on their desktop/mobile, we can shape their experiences with interactive elements and multilevel user experiences not as easily executable in the physical world.
#4 – one and done OR more to come.
This final test is all about longevity. Is this amazing event you’ve just created easily repeatable? And ironically, when life becomes normal again, can we deliver this immersive digital experience in real life?
Finding success and creating a memorable virtual event is all about the candidate experience. Focus on the content of your event and the delivery of your story and I promise your event won’t stink.
Ok, now for my hint at the tool I like the best: It’s right under your nose.
