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Career Fair Tips for Military Veterans

Career Exploration

A lot of companies set up at job fairs in the hopes of finding ex-military personnel to hire. Some of these job fairs are just so people can see what is out there, and they are basically display only, while others offer real job opportunities for veterans. They also offer a variety of workshops, presentations, and even some instructional seminars. If you are retired from the military, but you still want to be productive and have a job that you enjoy, it is time to start attending these career fairs. In order to improve your chances of getting that great job, here are some career fair tips.

Know Your Goal

The first thing to do is figure out what type of job you are looking for. If you are looking for a specific type of job, it is a good idea to make sure that you have created a resume that is geared towards the kind of work you want to do. You will need to know what to put on a resume that is going to catch the eye of potential employers.

Be Prepared

The night before a career fair, make sure that you gather up everything that you are going to need. This includes several copies of your resume, pens and notepads so you can take lots of notes, etc. Pick out clothing that looks professional, and make sure that it is cleaned and ironed the night before so you don’t have to rush on the day of the career fair.

Visit Lots of Tables

If you are able to spend the entire day at the job fair, do it, so you can visit as many tables as possible. There are so many career resources for veterans at these job fairs, and you don’t want to miss anything. At the very least, plan to spend four to five hours at the job fair, so you have plenty of time to look around and speak with potential employers.

Use the Resources

If the career fair is offering seminars, classes, etc., take as many as you can, even if they are not necessarily related the type of work that you are interested in. You never know when you are going to be able to learn something valuable, and potential employers are going to take notice of your willingness to participate.

Treat Conversations Like Interviews

Each time you speak with a potential employer, make sure that you are treating the conversation like it is an actual interview. This is a good time to give the employer your resume or CV. If you are looking for a specific type of position, this is a good thing to discuss, and you can tailor your resume for the type of work that you are looking for.

Follow Up

Take note of the name of each person that you speak with at the job fair, and follow up on your conversations the following day. This is going to accomplish a couple of things. First, it is going to keep you fresh in the employers’ minds. It is also going to show them that you have a serious interest in working for them, and they may be more inclined to offer an interview.

Keep on Networking

Don’t just go home after the career fair and sit around to wait for the job offers to come rolling in. Keep on networking. Continue taking your resume to different companies. Apply for jobs online. Finding a job is a job in itself, and if you are serious about finding work, you will make your job hunt your full time job until you get hired.

If you have comments or feedback about any article, please email your thoughts to info@acp-advisornet.org.

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