3 Key Tips to Use Career Fairs to Find Your Next Job

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Job Fair Tactics

• Visit every booth

• Prepare your resume, think about your 30 second “elevator pitch”, translate your military experience into civilian language

• Research beforehand and follow-up afterward

• Honorable mention: Dress and act professionally and confidently

1. Visit Every Booth• This is the most important tactic you can employ

(Pun intended!)

• Know what you’re looking for, but keep an open mind. Be specific and avoid saying, “I can do anything.” Practice applying your experience to “anything” so you don’t have to say it.

• Keep an open mind. Kroger may be hiring accountants, a defense contractor a chef, educational institutions may be hiring admissions counselors or military relations specialists.

2. Prepare your resume• Translate your military skills to civilian language.

Remember that your MOS means nothing to civilian recruiters. Explain WHAT you did on a daily basis, rather than assuming recruiters understand military.

• In general, your resume should be no more than two pages. Bullets work best (no paragraphs). Break down by “position” (i.e. different responsibilities in the military, as well as different civilian jobs).

• Some companies are legally required to receive your resume online. It’s not personal. They still come to the job fair to talk to you face-to-face. It’s just legal requirements they’re obligated to follow.

2. Prepare your elevator pitch

Four parts of an elevator pitch:

1. Introduce yourself personally2. Provide a brief history of your experience3. Apply your experience to potential positions4. Request an interview

• Don’t pack all your experience into 30 seconds.• The goal is to spark interest into further

dialogue• Use active verbs, such as “I led, I carried out, I

managed”

3. Prepare beforehand, follow up afterward

• Look up information on which companies will be attending the job fair.

• Get familiar with how a job fair works, how the booths are set up, how recruiters talk to candidates.

• Print resumes tailored to specific jobs or industries

• Exchange information if possible, follow up via email and/or LinkedIn afterward. Send a hand written note for jobs of great interest.

Review: Job fair tactics

• Visit every booth

• Prepare your resume, think about your 30 second “elevator pitch”, translate your military experience into civilian language

• Research beforehand and follow up afterward

• Honorable mention: Dress and act professionally and confidently

FirstCommand Job Spotlight

• Who is First Command?

• Financial Advisor positions

• Applicant requirements

• Applicant qualities (what qualifies and disqualifies)

• How to apply (what to expect from the process)

• 877.601.5783• recruitingdepartmentinbox@firstcommand.com• http://www.wehireleaders.com/   

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