Rule # 1: Do not allow ill-prepared jobseekers to attend. You are not doing them a favor. It distracts other job seekers and,more importantly, employers.
They say a picture says more than a 1,000 words. Well……this picture , published in the April4, 2009 edition of the Las Vegas Review Journal (taken by John Locher) shows a recent LasVegasJobs.com Job Fair. 
Why do jobseekers bring their children to job fairs? And equally as important - why do job fair promoters allow parents to bring their children?
When we started the Opportunity Boulevard Career Fairs a few years back, we wanted to produce the best job fair in Las Vegas. A few of our simple rules have been: No children and proper dress attire required. It makes a big difference. As employers, we want to interview qualified candidates, not entertain their children.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Doug:
I applaud you for your efforts to upgrade Career Fairs. Maybe a small admission fee like $5 would let the casual attendee know that although it’s called a “fair”, there’s no sawdust on the floor and candied apples. It should be a serious event.
Even so, if anyone can identify the fellow holding the baby, I’ll shoot a free video intro for him. (Please query your readers.) I can certainly understand his plight, and he’s doing his best for his family I’m sure. He certainly dressed properly, and he deserves a break.
Best,
Chris
@Chris - I love the idea of $5 admission for the purpose of weeding out those that are not serious about their job search. Unfortunately, we made a promise 16 years back to never profit from the jobseeker. We may consider making that admission fee a donation to a worthy cause though. It is an interesting idea and one we will surely discuss. Let’s hope the gentleman holding the baby was able to find gainful and meaningful employment.