The candidate experience at job fairs hasn’t changed much in the last 20 years. Booths have gotten bigger, with more creative use of space, but the concept is still the same — attendees line up, talk to a company rep for two or three minutes and walk off with a paper brochure. If they’re lucky, they get a chance to interview in a makeshift, curtain-walled office flanked by three other candidates doing the same thing.

When I see 18 businesses in a row fighting for talent it makes me think a lot about employment branding.    If I were looking for work, which company would I choose?    In a market like this, you have to stand out.  You have to be different.  But that doesn't mean that you have to spend a bunch of money for a big ad campaign or brand redesign.   It could be much more simple than that.