Exhibitor Resources

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you already know what JobCon is. Just in case, let’s go through a quick overview.

JobCon 2021 is the world’s largest virtual reality job fair, running between September 21st and 23rd. You might be thinking “Well, that’s a big claim!” and you’re right! It is a big claim, and we’re proud to be able to say that it’s true.

Very few job fairs have been held in a virtual space, and almost none have been hosted in virtual reality. Virtual job fairs are usually less of a job fair, and more of a limited-time job board, with recruiters available. “Attendees” usually log into the job board, apply to a few listings, and then wait to do a Zoom call with a recruiter.

Let’s be honest, almost everybody has seen a “Zoom Fails” compilation video at this point. That’s a big risk when you’re talking to your next boss, or to the perfectly qualified candidate you’re desperate for!

Furthermore, these kinds of “job fairs” lack what makes a job fair special — one-one-one interaction between a candidate and recruiter, in real time, with body language, vocal tones, and the ability to review résumés, pamphlets, and business cards without sending files back and forth.

So, we decided to solve some of those issues, leaning on the power of virtual reality! By moving our job fair into a virtual space, recruiters can:
• Meet and interact with candidates in real time
• Network with representatives from other companies
• View customized booths in a virtual environment
• Exchange documents in a simple, secure environment
• Evaluate candidates’ body language and voice

Here’s the thing: there are more benefits than just those! In a virtual environment, where people are represented by avatars, it is impossible to discriminate by race or appearance — one of the longstanding benefits of online hiring. We can also use our virtual convention center to host a true conference, with keynote speakers, networking and team building events, and showrooms!

Effectively, JobCon 2021 is a massive job fair, HR conference, and business networking event, just like any other. The only difference is how you access it — no airplanes, no hotels, no printing expenses. Just pop on a VR headset, or log in through a Windows 10 compatible PC with a monitor, and you’re in.

Exhibitors

As an exhibitor, you’ll have access to all of JobCon’s facilities, including your own personalized exhibition booth, meeting and conference rooms, training rooms and classrooms, and JobCon’s full roster of events. Furthermore, you’re considered a VIP – see 2.2 for details on the perks of being a VIP.
Your job is simple — come in during the event, meet some job-seekers, and look for your next employee!
To achieve that, you’ll have access to the booth, the ability to display and distribute business cards and flyers, and the ability to take résumés from potential candidates. We also have interview rooms available, in case you want to meet with a possible recruit privately. JobCon is intended to be a one-stop shop for finding your next employee, from the very first meeting to the closing negotiations.

Sponsors

As a sponsor, your contribution to JobCon is absolutely invaluable. Without your support, JobCon couldn’t happen! We’re happy to offer ample advertising space in the convention center, as well as putting you in a high-visibility location on our website, and as a featured sponsor in our external communications.

VIPs

A diverse array of VIPs will be in attendance at JobCon — reporters and journalists, exhibitors and sponsors, influencers and YouTubers; the list goes on!
VIPs have full access to the JobCon venue, including private VIP rooms and lounges. Additionally, our VIPs have priority access to assistance from the JobCon team, and are first in line at exclusive or limited-space events.

Job-seekers

Let’s not forget about the most critical group of attendees — the job-seekers!
The JobCon team has been hard at work networking with pools of candidates, advertising to job-seekers, and partnering with recruiting firms to make sure that you’ll find somebody to fill your open positions. We anticipate hundreds of exhibitors will be in attendance, but we anticipate multiple thousands of potential candidates to show up across the three days of the event.
One major draw for these candidates is the ease-of-access of the fair. Because they can join from any Windows 10 compatible PC with a single, lightweight program installed, any recruit from anywhere can come looking for a new career.
This means that you may meet a programmer from Mexico, a software engineer from Pakistan, or an IT consultant from Japan. We anticipate that most of our attendees will come from English-speaking countries, primarily in North America, but we look forward to hosting a diverse, international audience!

So long as you’ll be at JobCon, we want to make sure that there are open lines of communication, so that your attendance is as streamlined as possible. As a valued exhibitor, your time should be spent on recruiting and networking, not on fixing technical issues or worrying about software.

To that end, we have a dedicated team that will assist with any issues you may run into while preparing for or attending JobCon. We’ve listed the best contact methods below, and categorized them so that you can reach the right person at the right time.

General Inquiries / Issues
For general inquiries, issues, or requests, please contact the JobCon Support Team. Sending an email is the fastest way for us to get back to you! This is your best contact if you’re having software issues, hardware issues with VR headsets, difficulty finding your booth, or problems navigating the convention center.

JobCon Support Team:
Phone: +1-877-351-0990
Email: [email protected]

Urgent Problems
If you’re having an emergency and require immediate assistance, please reach out to our Public Relations Coordinator, Sullivan Huebner.

Phone: (406) 647-0452
Email: [email protected]

JobCon 2021 is hosted in VRChat, the world’s leading platform for social engagement in virtual reality. Don’t worry, non-VR users are welcome too!

Installation varies depending on how you plan to visit JobCon. If you want to visit through a personal computer, laptop, HTC Vive, or Valve Index, check out the “PC” instructions below. If you’re using an Oculus Quest 2 headset, have a look at the “Oculus” instructions.

PC:
First, download and install Steam. You’ll need to make an account after installation.
Then, install VRChat. The program will be installed through Steam, and you can launch it from your Steam library. You’ll be prompted to either log in through your Steam account, or create a new VRChat account.

Oculus:
For those using the Oculus Quest 2, attendance couldn’t be any easier! Just install VRChat from the Oculus store.

Then, log in through your existing Oculus account, or create a new VRChat account. That’s all it takes!

For additional help, have a look at the following video.

https://vimeo.com/528139538

You’ve successfully installed Steam and VRChat, and now you’ve been thrust into a brand new world of online social interaction. Time to get your sea legs — watch the following video to learn how to walk, how to talk, and how to make your way around the metaverse.

https://vimeo.com/546112776

At this point, you’re moving around the metaverse like a pro! However, you’ve also probably noticed that you’re still on a default avatar that doesn’t look much like you. If you want people to see an avatar that looks like you (and you do!) watch this video to find out how to get your own personalized character.

https://vimeo.com/593077515

Use the following website to generate your custom avatar, and send it straight to VRChat!

https://readyplayer.me/vrchat

In order to make booth customization as easy as possible, we’ve put together a guided program to make it easy!

Watch the following video for a walkthrough on how to use the booth maker and submit your booth file.

https://vimeo.com/599079633

Now that you’ve installed VRChat, learned how to navigate the metaverse, and updated your avatar, all that’s left is to come to JobCon!

You’ll be able to join as soon as the conference opens, on September 21st.

Use the link provided that morning to enter the lobby, and have a look around — if you need help, one of our staff can give you a hand.

We recommend planning your visit around the event schedule — there’s more to JobCon than just job hunting! You get free access to keynote speeches from industry leaders, VRChat world tours from renowned VR innovators, and admission to daily special events!

We also suggest following us on social media for updates leading up to the big event. We host regular events featuring industry professionals, and the best way to find out about them is through social media.
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JobCon2021
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/jobcon2021/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JobConXR/
• Discord: https://discord.gg/Hhbj6v6wDz

While finding a booth in a crowded convention center can be a pain, we’ve made the process as painless as possible.

Before the event, you’ll be assigned to an “instance,” a separate server in which you and other exhibitors will be hosted. Think of each instance as being a separate floor of the convention center. To keep the floors from becoming crowded, only 8-12 exhibitors will be present on each floor at any time.

Your booth will have an assigned location, with a number. You will also be provided a map of the exhibition floor with labeled booth positions. Match the map to your position, and head on over! Your booth will be loaded in by our staff.

One of the benefits of spreading across multiple floors is that there will be more room for attendees to come and visit your booth. At any time, there may be up to 25 attendees on your floor, giving you a comfortable 2:1 ratio of visitors to booths.

Your main job at JobCon is to get applicants, but you already knew that!

The experience at JobCon is similar to any other hiring event. For the most part, you’ll be in the vicinity of your booth, and interested applicants will approach you. Tell them what you’re about, what you’re hiring for, and the kinds of people that you’d like to hire.

The primary difference is that everything is virtual. You’ll want to make sure that your microphone is unmuted while chatting with applicants.

Furthermore, you’ll want to be prepared for attendees to arrive in a variety of appearances. The people of VR value diversity, and their avatars reflect that — you might be chatting with a velociraptor one minute, or a plague doctor the next.

Regardless of appearance, remember that on the other end of that avatar is a real person, who has real interest in the jobs you have on offer. Smile, wave, and enjoy the experience!

We’ve done our best to make it as easy as possible for you to get résumés from attendees. With the support of VRChat, we’ve made it so that you can include a submission link when you create your booth.

Applicants can follow that link directly, and submit their résumés to you directly. No fiddling around with emails, no awkward exchanges of contact details — everything is done right at the booth.

Furthermore, this means that you don’t have to staff your booth 24/7 in order to receive applications! Take a break, visit with other exhibitors, or go see one of our keynote speakers — you’ll still get applicants in the meantime.

This event isn’t just about finding new recruits — it can be about finding new business partners as well!

We recommend chatting with some of the other exhibitors on your exhibition floor, or visiting some of the other showrooms. This is a great opportunity for you to meet with recruiters from other companies, and build your network.

While JobCon will run around the clock for its three-day span, you don’t need to staff the booth for that entire period of time. Some days will be busier than others, and some times of day will be better for finding applicants.

We recommend having a recruiter present between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST each day. This will let you visit with a primarily North American audience. If you’re looking to hire from other time zones, we suggest timing your visit with their local business hours.

The best times to take breaks will be between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. EST. This time period is when our keynote speakers will be presenting, so fewer attendees will be visiting the booths. It’s a good chance for you to visit our speakers as well!

All attendees, including our exhibitors and recruiters, are welcome to enjoy a variety of events, free of charge!

These include a number of keynote speeches and presentations, guided tours through the world of VR, and team building and relaxation opportunities.

As an exhibitor, you’re considered a VIP, and you’ll have first priority when it comes to networking-focused events. Many of our events have limited capacity, around 35 attendees max, so we operate on a first-come first-served basis.

However, don’t worry if you aren’t able to make it in person! All of our presentations and keynotes are livestreamed, and many of our other events are livestreamed as well.

Now that the job fair is over, it’s time to review your applicants! As you may recall, we set up an interactive link at your booth to which you could direct applicants. This means that you already have all of the documents from the fair — they were directed to whichever inbox or directory that you linked to!