There are career fairs all over the country that focus on veterans transitioning out of the military. I have attended and worked at some of the events with the pros and cons to all of them. Some of the more significant events can have employers and attendees with conversations, impromptu interviews, and activities galore. If I went into the event without a plan, I would feel overstimulated and exhausted at the end of the day.
It would be best if you had an idea of what you want versus accepting any jobs. Employers at career fairs usually have a predefined list of jobs that they are recruiting for, so make sure you are in charge of your future employment. There are five things you should do before stepping into a career fair so you can maximize your time and energy.
Review the List of Employers – Most career fairs will have a shortlist of employers on the marketing materials and the full list on the website. Most will have a map of where each employer is located so you can plan your route ahead of time. Make a list of your top 10 and make those a priority.
Review the Websites – Here is a little known fact from when I was in recruiting and worked job fairs; we are usually targeting specific positions and not all of the open requisitions. It is often the positions that need to be filled quickly, and we need candidates for the interview process. If that is what you are looking for, then you are good to go. On the other hand, the individuals working at the event may not be aware of all the open positions. If there is something you are interested in exploring, it doesn’t hurt to ask questions or inquire about how you can get more information about different jobs.
Talk To Other Attendees – I would see people navigate around each other but never strike up a conversation. Making friends is another layer of networking because you have the shared mission of gaining employment. There was a group of veterans that made friends with each other early in the event, and they would work as a team scouting the employers. They would share information and exchanged contact information. When one of them would approach me, they would reference the other attendee that spoke with me and sent them my way. This is a great idea!! Always make meaningful connections.
Use the Business Cards – Even if you are not interested in the jobs they have available, ask the employer representatives if you could connect with them on LinkedIn to build your network. Make a note about what you discussed and include that in the invitation. I can’t tell you how many emails or connection requests I would get from attendees at career fairs that wouldn’t include anything about the discussion or how we connected. They are going to speak with many people, so make the request to join their network memorable.
Decide When Enough Is Enough – If you’ve hit your goals, then it might make sense for you to leave. Or maybe you’ve been around the event for a while, and you are not finding anything that makes sense for you. It is ok to leave. Making something fit for you is only going to cause frustration. While you may have missed the mark on the employer front, you should at least be connecting with other veterans. Always network. Always.
For more tips and tricks, you can visit my website at www.civilianconnections.com
