The document proposes two prototypes for job fairs organized by job seekers to connect with recruiters from different companies and industries. Prototype 1 gathers recruiters from the same industry but different job functions, while Prototype 2 connects recruiters who specialize in the same job functions but across industries. Both prototypes aim to reduce costs for recruiters compared to traditional hiring methods. The document outlines the preparation, execution, potential benefits and weaknesses of each prototype and asks questions about optimizing the event format. It expresses interest in testing the prototypes in practice to evaluate their effectiveness.

1. PROTOTYPE
DESIGN ACTION THINKING LAB
Sarah Taylor

2. IF YOU BUILD IT…
 PROTOTYPE #1:JOB FAIR WITH SAME INDUSTRY, DIFFERENT JOB
FUNCTIONS
Preparation
 Host a career fair and bring the recruiters, HR professionals and managers to
you
 Partner with a small number of other friends/colleagues who are also job-
seekers.
 Filter your job-seeker friends by industry, e.g. friends who work in Healthcare,
friends who are in Education.
 Decide on a date, time and location for your “career fair”
 Post event on all social media that you and your friends subscribe to:
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
 Capture RSVPs of interested recruiters/HR/managers
 With headcount in place, order drinks & appetizers for event
 Inform jobseeker friends of attendees’ companies to do some research about
companies needs, trends, etc.

3. THEY WILL COME
 PROTOTYPE #1
Execution
 Recruiters are greeted at event with a one-sheet of
candidates’ backgrounds
 Host gives a quick verbal welcome
 Candidates mingle with recruiters for 30-45 minutes
 Host wraps up event with closing remarks
 Candidates send thank-you emails to recruiters/HR/managers

4. A LIL’ COMPETITION NEVER
HURT…
 PROTOTYPE #2: JOB FAIR WITH SAME JOB FUNCTIONS,
DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES
Preparation
 Partner with other friends/colleagues with similar job titles/functions;
e.g. Marketing Directors, Marketing Managers
 Decide on a date/time/location for career fair
 Invite recruiters who specialize in working with Marketing
professionals through social media channels
 Capture RSVPs of interested recruiters/HR/managers
 With headcount in place, order drinks & appetizers for event
 Inform jobseeker friends of attendees’ companies to do some
research about companies needs, trends, etc.

5. RIGHT?!?!
 PROTOTYPE #2
Execution
 Recruiters are greeted at event with a one-sheet of
candidates’ backgrounds
 Host gives a quick verbal welcome
 Candidates mingle with recruiters for 30-45 minutes
 Host wraps up event with closing remarks
 Candidates send thank-you emails to recruiters/HR/managers

6. FEEDBACK
 What worked
 Both prototypes take
expense out of hiring
equation for managers,
HR & recruiters
 Both prototypes are
creative ways to job-seek
 Both prototypes can be
modified to fit the needs
of the jobseekers
 What could be improved
 Prototype #2 might create
too much competition with
people that have similar
backgrounds
 Prototype #1 might not
draw a critical mass of
companies that are in the
same industry
 Recruiters/HR/managers
might be skeptical of going
to an unknown
event/location

7. WAIT…THERE’S MORE!
 Questions???
 What’s the critical
number of job-
seekers?
 What’s the critical
number of recruiters
to invite?
 How long should the
event be?
 Ideas!!!
 Why wait?
 Let’s do it now!
 Relatively low-cost
compared to other
Ideate solutions
 Creative element

8. REFLECTION
 This prototype takes longer than a few days to execute, so I
wasn’t able to test it in real life. I talked through the issues with
my job-seeker friend and she is actually intrigued by the idea. I’d
love to actually test this and see how it could work and if it could
be successful