An organized job placement office does not, in itself, guarantee a job fair with good business participation. The most common problem is not a lack of internal organization, but the lack of a direct and credible channel to the right companies.
This article explains how to solve the reach problem with the right channels and how to structure the invitation to companies in four steps: value proposition, priority sectors, contact timing, and communication.
The problem: invitations that don't reach the decision-makers.
Most employment agencies contact companies through:
- • Generic emails sent to institutional addresses (not to those who decide to participate in trade shows).
- • Networks of old contactswhich limit the fair to the same companies.
- • Posts on the university's social media, with reach almost exclusively to candidates.
None of these channels consistently reach those responsible for talent acquisition or employer The companies' branding is what determines which companies they use to reserve a booth.
The channels that solve the reach problem
A Talent Portugal solve this problem with 3 tools additional:
- • Email to over 1000 companies – Direct dissemination of your trade fair invitation to over 1000 companies actively interested in recruitment in Portugal, without relying solely on your organization's existing contacts.
- • Job Fair Researcher – page dedicated to your fair on the website of Talent Portugal, with visibility among companies that are already actively seeking recruitment events.
- • Job fair software – A customized platform for the day of the event, where companies manage applications received via QR Code and export the data at the end.
A Talent Portugal has already implemented this model in Talent Portugal Summit, which brings together every year +80 companies e +50 higher education institutionsThis proves that the right channel consistently increases business adoption year after year.
With the outreach channel sorted out, all that's left is to properly structure the invitation. That's what the next four steps will ensure.
1. Define the value proposition for the company, not for the university.
Companies don't participate in job fairs out of institutional goodwill. They participate when they see a concrete return : access to qualified candidates , increased employer brand visibility with the right audience, or a pipeline for curricular internships and trainee programs.
The value proposition should answer a direct question: what kind of candidate profile can your organization deliver, and in what volume? Concrete numbers (course, academic year, area of specialization) replace any promotional language.
2. Choose the right priority sectors.
Inviting all possible companies dilutes the effort and reduces the response rate. The most efficient approach is to match the organization's training offerings with the sectors that most recruit recent graduates and interns in Portugal: Information Technology, Engineering, Finance, and Retail continue to be among those that most seek this profile.
Prioritizing 15 to 20 companies per relevant sector, instead of 100 generic companies, significantly increases the stand confirmation rate.
3. Get the timing of the contact right.
Contacting companies for job fairs often fails for a simple reason: it's too late. Talent acquisition departments plan their presence at fairs 2 to 4 months in advance , especially when it involves budget and team travel.
- • T-4 months: Initial contact and presentation of the value proposition.
- • T-2 months: Stand confirmation and delivery of logistics information.
- • T-2 weeks: Reminder with final program and profile of registered candidates.
4. Communicate the invitation in a direct and actionable way.
The invitation to companies should follow the same logic as any effective communication: essential information first, without beating around the bush.
- • Date and place from the job fair.
- • Candidate profile available (course, year, estimated number).
- • Participation format (stand, presentation, recruitment session).
- • Next step Sure: Confirm your attendance by a specific date.
Next step
Do you already have a date set for your job fair? Promote it to over 1000 companies through... Talent Portugal and ensure the membership your organization is looking for.
