Written by: Talia Knowles
Talia Knowles is an avid reader, writer, and coffee enthusiast, with over five years of experience in writing and editing.
Reviewed by: Keca Ward
As a seasoned HR professional with over 20 years of experience, Keca is an expert in various aspects of Human Resources.
Updated on October 26, 2023
Gone are the days of waiting for the candidate to come to you! In this competitive hiring market, even hosting traditional recruiting events may not be enough to give your recruiting team the edge they need to connect with top talent.
Getting creative with recruiting event ideas can help you attract high-quality candidates and strengthen your company’s reputation amongst customers and job seekers.
Even with the mutual benefits recruiting events offer to employers and candidates, sometimes it can be hard to generate interest for your event. If candidates have been to countless career fairs and industry trainings, you may need to think creatively about how to pique their interest.
That’s where this article comes into play. We’ve brainstormed 12 out-of-the-box recruiting event ideas to help you build your brand and attract even the most passive candidates.
Recruiting is a people-centered profession, which makes connecting with candidates a central part of an effective recruiting strategy.
Recruiting events help organizations attract potential candidates, build brand awareness, and speed up hiring. They also are a great place for companies to showcase their culture, values, and benefits and attract candidates who may not have otherwise considered the organization.
Recruiting events can also be a cost-effective way to increase visibility and build relationships through networking. By meeting potential candidates in person or online, recruiters can quickly assess their suitability for the role and move them through the recruitment process more efficiently.
Recruiting events can range from traditional job fairs to Instagram live sessions, but they all have the same goal: to establish connections and attract new talent. Though events take time and effort to plan and organize, they pay off in the long run.
If you want to follow in the footsteps of companies that host legendary recruiting events, begin by thinking about what made them successful.
For example, LEGO hosts an annual Brick Factor event where participants compete in three building challenges. This event taps into the youthful joy of playing with Legos, captures fans’ attention, and helps LEGO identify an excellent Lego engineer.
Another creative recruiting event example is Ford’s “Ford Days.” By setting up a display of cars on college campuses, recruiters use their product to attract interested applicants. Students can speak with employees, attend a lecture, and learn about employment opportunities, all without leaving campus!
These examples demonstrate the essence of creative recruiting events. Identify what will attract candidates, whether Legos, cars, or a unique learning opportunity, and plan an event around it.
There’s no reason you have to stick with the standard career fair or open house format, as candidates who are inspired by creative recruiting events are more likely to want to join your team.
When brainstorming creative recruitment event ideas, it helps to focus on providing candidates with a unique and memorable experience.
Anything that makes your brand stand out will boost your chances of candidates following up with recruiters to learn more about current opportunities. This could include personalized welcome packages, video tours of your office, or interactive challenges that showcase your company’s values and culture.
Grabbing a candidate’s interest at the beginning of the recruitment process may be even more effective than after your initial conversation. Luckily, we’ve rounded up a few out-of-the-box ideas to make your next recruiting event successful, memorable, and maybe even fun!
Instead of the traditional job fair or recruiting event, host a talent show where candidates can showcase their skills and abilities. Maybe they’ll sing a song about their accounting skills or simply treat the audience to a display of their juggling ability.
Either way, talent shows are a fun way for candidates to show off their personalities and experience company culture.
Recruiting contest events, such as a hackathon for tech developers, are increasingly popular, as they add a sense of competition to the hiring process, as well as a bit of fun.
Hosting a contest that’s open to the public can be a great way to attract top talent and bring attention to your business and its available positions. In a hackathon, participants generally work to solve a tech challenge to prove their coding skills.
With a bit of creativity, you can design a hiring contest for almost any role. With a bit of luck, you’ll find your next rising star! And even if you don’t, you’ll likely have fun and meet a lot of talented job-seekers that might come into play down the line.
Hosting community events is a great way to meet new people and maybe even a few talented candidates. Set up a projector on the lawn and invite people to bring blankets and chairs and camp out for the evening.
Pick a relevant film, like The Big Short for financial analysts or Chef if you’re in the restaurant business. Finally, include a Q&A session after the film where people can ask questions like, is Ratatouille an accurate portrayal of life as a line cook?
Even if you can’t think of a movie directly related to your business, any kind of movie night is a great way to improve your employer brand and generate interest in your company.
We’re not saying that a panel on HR best practices isn’t fascinating, but convincing people to give up their free time to attend might be difficult.
You’ll probably have better luck if you plan an event tackling a more pressing issue that employees (and candidates) will want to think about outside of work hours.
For example, many people are intrigued by artificial intelligence and its impact on job automation. Therefore, they’ll probably be more inclined to attend a lecture and learn more about this technology.
Other popular events ideas include information sessions about buying real estate, saving money, or maintaining good health. In a nutshell, planning your events around what people care about will almost always draw a bigger crowd.
For those organizations that can bring candidates onsite, consider offering candidates a tour of local hot spots, your team’s favorite ice cream shop, and the best places for a Friday happy hour. Not only will this allow candidates to get to know your team, but it can help them gain a sense of belonging in the company.
These events can also provide a chance to watch candidates in a relaxed atmosphere, which can help you better understand their personalities and how they might mesh with your company culture.
A founder’s chat with the CEO lets applicants see straight to the organization’s top. Schedule an informal information session with the CEO of your company to give candidates an inside look at company culture, values, and leadership style.
Meeting the CEO will also make candidates feel like they are valued by the company, which may help nudge them to choose your organization over a competitor’s.
Quality professionals are always looking for learning opportunities, so why not make them fun?
Facilitate a monthly book club that focuses on industry-related reads. Book clubs can be easily held in person, online, or in hybrid form and will allow attendees to share ideas, create relationships, and grow their professional network.
Be sure to welcome any interested party into the group, as you never know where your next talented hire may come from.
Hosting a recreational fitness event is a great way to build morale and facilitate relationships. Whether you organize a fun run, golf tournament, or recreational kickball league, creating a casual environment will encourage attendees to relax, have fun, and build friendships.
If you provide a great experience, candidates will remember your organization positively and may be more likely to submit themselves for future opportunities. Additionally, meeting people in person will give your recruiters an easy in when they make contact down the road.
Finally, getting outside and elevating your heart rate can aid mental and physical health. Hosting recreational events demonstrate that your organization cares about its employees’ holistic well-being, which can also help attract candidates.
If your business is operated remotely, virtual Jeopardy is a great alternative to a recreational event. You can either make the questions industry-specific or more general — as long as participants have a great time!
Online Jeopardy can also stir up interest in your company by establishing connections with other people in the industry. Offer a prize to the winning team to encourage friendly competition, and consider asking current employees to invite their friends to help recruiters make even more connections.
Everyone loves a party! Sponsor an industry-wide event that will bring the top talent in your field under one roof. This creates a great opportunity for your recruiters to connect with passive candidates — and maybe even convince them to jump ship.
Even though your competitors will be present, your company will automatically distinguish itself by hosting the event. This ensures that attendees who may not have been familiar with your brand will leave with a positive impression of your company.
Offer your office as an event space to get people through the door, literally. These events could be educational opportunities, mixers, or even art displays or other creative showcasing.
No matter the occasion, if the surrounding community is familiar with your workspace, you’ve successfully boosted brand recognition and improved your chances of attracting top talent.
In this twist on a classic career fair, the candidates man their own booths. Recruiters can then walk around, approach them to learn more about their backgrounds, and maybe even pick up a resume or two.
Of course, this event works best in a setting with recruiters from multiple organizations, but it can be a great way to demonstrate your respect for candidates and pitch them on the many benefits of joining your team.
At the end of the day, a recruiting event is only as good as its publicity. Ensure the word about your event gets out by promoting it on social media and identifying your target audience.
Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to promote recruiting events and garner interest in your company. This can be a great way to attract candidates seeking a unique and innovative work environment.
Sharing event information contributes to a strong social media brand, as building an online presence can often accomplish some of recruiting’s heavy lifting.
Creating engaging video content to promote your company culture, showcase job openings, and highlight your company’s values and mission is also helpful.
Finally, encourage your current employees to share job openings and company news on their personal social media profiles. This can increase your company’s visibility and attract talented candidates already familiar with your organization.
Sometimes, general recruiting events risk missing out on a particular demographic. For example, recent graduates may be intimated to attend an open house, while experienced executives may not have the time.
To combat this, consider focusing your event on college students, recent grads, or more experienced candidates looking for new opportunities. This allows you to adjust timing, format, and formality to best fit your target audience.
Recruiting is all about determining what people want, which is hard to do if your target audience is too large. Narrowing down your target demographic can help you plan thoughtful events that yield more interested candidates.
Especially when recruiting entry-level roles or interns, it is beneficial to partner with local universities and colleges to offer internships and other opportunities for Gen Z candidates. This can be a great way to identify top talent early on and build a pipeline of potential candidates for future job openings.
Host regular meetups and networking events for industry professionals and potential candidates. Though not always oriented toward recruiting, meeting candidates face-to-face will help recruiters convince them to attend recruitment events and give them a leg up in building connections.
Attending industry conferences and events is another easy way to connect with candidates who are passionate about your industry and are looking for exciting career opportunities.
Additionally, passive candidates may be more likely to attend a recruiting event after meeting someone from your organization in person.
The best recruiting events will leave candidates thinking about your company for days to come. Therefore, there are no clear rules about what will make or break a successful event.
Still, taking the time to consider your target audience, what they want from an employer, and what they value most will be helpful in catering your events specifically to the talent you’re trying to attract.
Even if it seems that an event failed to convert immediately to interviews, time and resources invested into building your company’s employer brand will be sure to pay off in the end.
Recruiting is a constant challenge for all businesses, but scheduling the right events at the right time can work wonders for your hiring process. Recruiting is far from a one-size fits all proposition, so it’s best to take the time to examine the best options and your company’s needs before starting to make plans.
But with a bit of preparation and planning, you could soon be hosting enjoyable, lively events that attract waves of impressively talented candidates and put your company on the road to long-term success.
Job seekers should research the companies attending the event, dress appropriately, bring several copies of their resume, and prepare a brief elevator pitch to introduce themselves to recruiters and hiring managers.
Attending recruiting events can allow job seekers to learn more about potential job opportunities, build relationships with recruiters and hiring managers, and network with other professionals in their industry.
Hosting a recruiting event can help companies attract top talent, build brand awareness, and speed up recruitment by allowing recruiters to meet potential candidates in person and assess their suitability for the role.
It is important to think about your target audience, what event they will most likely attend, the location and timing of the event, and the resources required to make it happen. The most important takeaway is that recruiting events are about making connections, so anything you can do to facilitate introductions and conversations will help contribute to your event’s success.
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