To find a job, would you seek out a Military Job Fair? If not, can you share why and how would you/do you go about finding a job?

2017-06-21T13:49:20-04:00

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 2:00 PM

2017-06-21T14:00:57-04:00

There are several factors but I would focus on building your professional network first and then use job fairs as a source to primarily network. Depending again on the profession you wish to pursue most job fairs have a specific job applicant in mind and not all Veterans will fall in that demographic. Networking at a job fair is a good way to learn the industry's language and get an insight on the culture. Finding a mentor in the field you wished to enter would be a successful event as well.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 2:03 PM

2017-06-21T14:03:29-04:00

Yes, because I get a face-to-face with representatives of a company that at least acknowledges the amount of Veterans that need jobs. This beats just hoping for a response to my resume.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 2:15 PM

2017-06-21T14:15:41-04:00

Zuzana Micko If I was still serving, I would seek out a Military Job Fair. When you are searching for a job, you leave no stone unturned. When I was discharged in 1972, I had a goal in mind of working for the Space Program. I found a good paying job at a chemical plant while I obtained my degree. With my degree, I stayed with a job that I loved until retirement. During my 33 year career, I updated my resume every year, and networked like crazy, just in case. Finding a job takes research, planning and is a heavy duty commitment.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Jun 21 at 2017 2:19 PM

2017-06-21T14:19:30-04:00

I can only speak for me, but I don't find any value in them.

Just because its "military" and/or veteran focused, doesn't mean it isn't a shotgun approach to finding employees--which isn't a bad thing per se--but when some potential employees such as myself are focused on more specific jobs or career fields, we may not want to spend the time wading through 100 different companies hiring for a broad spectrum of jobs I am not interested in, just to talk to a handful of companies (who may or may not actually be hiring or hiring for desired positions). I could just as easily reach out to companies I am interested in without the hassle of a job fair.

That said, if I didn't have specific career fields in mind, and was open to a wide array of jobs, a fair might be worth the time to explore. At this point in my working life, I'm more focused than that.

Response by SFC Andrew Miller made Jun 21 at 2017 2:47 PM

2017-06-21T14:47:29-04:00

I retired from the Army in 2011 and attended several different military fairs at Fort Drum, JBLM, and Chicago. These were sponsored by different organizations, but all with a similar focus.

The problem with transitioning out of service is that you go through some variation of TAP program and they tell you to civilianize your resume. When you go to these military specific job fairs on installations or in large cities, many of the companies are contractors and they actually want your military jargon included instead of civilianized terms. The first one I attended, they all asked specific questions that were military specific.

I was better prepared for the next one and had two job offers before I retired. I was actually working two months before my terminal leave ended.

I have helped initiate locally a program at a few different regional job and career fairs here. For three different job fairs here in Wisconsin now, the first hour is only open to veterans and then it is open to the general public. The advantage of this is that you get a larger pool of employers who might have the specific positions that military/veterans are looking for and they still get first crack before others.

Response by SFC J Fullerton made Jun 21 at 2017 2:49 PM

2017-06-21T14:49:13-04:00

I attended several military job fairs before and after my retirement and did not find them productive. They were heavily focused on law enforcement and truck driving. The other employers there were only seeking entry level laborers. The last one I attended, I irritated a recruiter because I was only interested in supervisor/management positions relative to my 20+ years of leadership experience and bachelors degree in business admin. She acted like I was crazy to expect anything above entry level after leaving the military and not having any "specific industry experience". Never went to another one again.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jun 21 at 2017 3:09 PM

2017-06-21T15:09:10-04:00

I would, if the job fair had some kind of focus (like health industry, tech industry, etc.). If it's just a generic job fair, it casts too wide of a net. I suspect that the chances I'd find some potential leads would be minimal.

I look to professional organizations and trade associations to find opportunities, as well as going to the websites of specific organizations. The professional organizations and trade associations facilitate better searches through centralized databases and professional networking opportunities. The specific organizations normally post their opportunities on their own website. I have found those routes to be more effective.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 3:40 PM

2017-06-21T15:40:18-04:00

I've been to a couple before I ETSed from active duty. It really does tend to be a shot gun blast of you putting out a bunch of resumes to try to get a few nibbles on jobs, and the employer casting out a wide net to pull in a bunch of prospective employees to fill a handful of slots. So it is one approach that depending on your skills and the type of job you are going after what you may end up with.

Military personnel often have the added benefit of having a clearance which opens up jobs that the majority of the population does not have a chance at. I would look on those type of sites like ClearanceJobs.com, which can search by geography if you're looking for something in specific areas, especially if they have defense contractors around. Networking through sites like this one or LinkedIn will also be beneficial to helping find work.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 4:20 PM

2017-06-21T16:20:33-04:00

No. Been there done that! Why? I am sick of civilians liars trying to make themselves and their companies look and feel better for saying that, "we recruit veterans".
Most civilians change jobs more than they do their underpants!
Case in point: Looking at YOUR profile!

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 5:42 PM

2017-06-21T17:42:31-04:00

Should be a combined effort of networking ,training, engaging job fairs, informational interviews and my personal favorite is get involved with internships. This is a process we have used with our company that is providing dividends. Get in and work with company, bring them value, develop yourself and its an easy in to that company. Skip the interviewing, the resume sorting, etc. But overall, its a proactive approach that combines many things.

Response by SGT David T. made Jun 23 at 2017 6:30 AM

2017-06-23T06:30:53-04:00

I have been to several and they all had one thing in common. They were a complete waste of time. The reps just pointed the people to their online hiring portals and there was no substance. I wont waste my time with them anymore. Since I am a Federal employee I just go on USAjobs and search. Seems to have worked well for me so far lol.