Now Hiring, But Not Really:

The Frustrating New Reality of Job Fairs in 2025.

For many, attending a job fair used to mean a chance to connect face-to-face with hiring managers, hand off a resume, and maybe even land an interview on the spot.

In an era of glossy hiring signs and endless “we’re growing our team!” slogans on company websites, the reality for many job seekers is far less optimistic. With the job market in a confusing state of flux—there’s a growing frustration simmering beneath the surface: job fairs with no jobs.

The Illusion of Opportunity

Across the country, candidates are showing up to job fairs—resume in hand, elevator pitch rehearsed—only to find employers who are "just taking names" or “accepting interest forms” with no actual openings to speak of. This is what happened to TikTok creator, Liz Brown, when she attended The City of Burbank Media Industry Expo and Job Fair on August 1st, 2025.

Brown explains in her video, which has now surmounted over 250k views, that there were about 2,000 people in attendance. As Brown approached the company booths, resume in hand, she was simply told, time-after-time, that: "it's all online!"

Much to her frustration, Brown explains that this job fair felt as if it was simply promoting their own business, with no intent to interview candidates. Brown left feeling "demoralized" after reporting to booths staffed with vague answers, empty job boards, and recruiters admitting, "We're just here to network right now." It's disheartening and in 2025, these events often feel more like PR opportunities for businesses than real recruiting efforts.

The companies listed below were all promoted as having booths from the Job Fair's website. It was an exciting lineup, but the opportunities were too limited. Commenters expressed similar grievances:

cityofburbankjobfair.com

"Telling people to go online is not the point of an in-person job fair!" - u/Amy H.

"I feel like job fairs are always a little demoralizing. But how can you have a job fair with no jobs? Really not cool on Burbank's part..." - u/beepboop

"All the people who tell you 'back in my day we walked in, handed them our resume and got a job that day', need to be shown this video." - u/LunarEclipse

Why Is This Happening?

Several factors are contributing to the mismatch between job fairs and actual job availability:

• Hiring Freezes: Companies may have started the year planning to hire, only to later freeze positions due to budget cuts or economic uncertainty.

• “Always Hiring” Optics: Many brands want to look like they’re expanding, even if they aren’t. It gives off the image of success and growth—even if it’s not true.

• Recruitment Marketing: Showing up at job fairs can simply be a branding exercise—to stay visible in the market, even when they aren’t actively hiring.

  
  

The Impact on Job Seekers

This trend isn't just annoying—it’s exhausting. Job hunting is already emotionally taxing. To show up hopeful, dressed professionally, having rearranged your day for a job fair, only to walk away with zero tangible opportunities is defeating. Many attendees report the same thing: “Why are they here if they're not hiring?”

It erodes trust in the system. It makes job seekers feel like their time, effort, and desperation are being taken for granted.

What Can Be Done?

If you're currently in the job hunt, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Research Before You Go: Some job fairs release a list of attending employers ahead of time. Look into whether they have open roles listed online.

  
  

  As for The City of Burbank Media Industry Expo and Job Fair, the following was stated on their website:

  
  

  

  cityofburbankjobfair.com

  
  

  I think the frustration stems from the fact that Job Fairs are relying on people attending with the assumption that job opportunities are still available, as has traditionally been the case, while they only seem to be emphasizing networking opportunities.

  
  

• Shift Your Approach: Go in with the expectation that modern job fairs will be treated more as networking events than direct hiring opportunities. Connect with recruiters and ask to be kept in mind for future roles, even if nothing is open today.

• Demand Better Transparency: If job fairs are meant to be about hiring, organizers and participating companies should be honest about what’s truly available.

• Push for Policy Change: On a broader scale, it's time to challenge the performative nature of some hiring practices. If a company is attending a job fair, they should have jobs. Full stop.

  
  

Final Thoughts

The job market in 2025 is more complicated than ever, and job seekers are navigating a labyrinth of false leads and inflated optimism. The trend of "no-job job fairs" only adds salt to the wound. But recognizing the problem is the first step toward advocating for change. Until then, keep your head up, and know this: the frustration you're feeling is valid—and shared by many.