Military Careers, Second Careers - Air Force Times

Job fair tactics

Your security clearance works a lot like a good reputation. It follows you, adds value to the way employers look at you and generally means better job prospects and salaries. That’s why it’s a good idea to target employers actively looking for cleared personnel. One of the best ways to find and meet them is through security clearance job fairs.

Attending these events is like shopping in bulk. They bring together large numbers of recruiters and hiring managers actively on the hunt for cleared employees. Once you walk in the door, you’ve already passed one hurdle — you’re not just another candidate looking for job prospects — they’re looking for you. Still, you’ll want to exercise a little strategy.

Sgt. Kristopher Malay attended his first job fair in May. An Army military police officer stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y., he’ll finish up his six-year military commitment in March and is already looking ahead. He said he hopes to land a civilian law-enforcement position, possibly one that requires an active security clearance. Malay said job fairs are a great way to learn which companies require security clearance and to survey future job prospects.

“I found the employers easy to talk with and very open,” he said. “I would advise anyone going to a job fair to first attend a transition assistance workshop. I went through a three-day workshop here and learned what to expect from the employers at the job fair and the kinds of questions they might ask, how to dress, and how to present myself. I’m too far out from my separation to take a job yet, but I’m preparing early to give myself enough time.”

Preparation is the key to a successful transition, and that’s equally true when it comes to marketing your security clearance at job fairs. But first, you have to find them.

Finding clearance job fairs

Your installation’s transition office is a great resource for finding out about upcoming job fairs because military bases are either notified in advance or assist in hosting them. Job fairs at military bases consistently include employers with security clearance requirements. But you can also attend those fairs specifically for security-cleared personnel. And the best way to do that is through the Internet.

“You can Google your way to success,” said William Golden, CEO of Intelligence Careers and IntelligenceCareers.com, a Web site designed for cleared intelligence personnel. “Just type in ‘security-clearance job fairs’ and you’ll start finding all sorts of resources. You can also log on to defense contractor Web sites. They’ll list the ones they’re hosting and also the ones they’ll be attending.”

Once you know where you’re going and when you need to be there, the next step is about working the crowd.

Go prepared

Recruiters at security-clearance job fairs are prepared to hire. Likewise, separating service members should go prepared to be hired. That means doing a little research before you go. Job fair Web sites often list the companies that will be represented. Learn what their mission is and the products and services they provide. Take an assessment of how your background and skills match the kinds of jobs the company has to offer. Then get ready to sell yourself by having what career experts call an “elevator speech.”

“You’ve only got a few minutes to make a great impression, so you’ve got to make that great impression right away,” said George Bernloehr, chief operating officer of CivilianJobs.com, a Bradley Morris Inc. military placement firm. “The first thing they say is, ‘Tell me about yourself.’ So have your elevator speech ready by practicing it before you go. Introduce yourself with your name, rank, specialization, then mention your security clearance and its level. For example, when you say, ‘I have an active top-secret security clearance with a polygraph,’ that’s an attention-getter.”

In addition to your résumé and elevator speech, Bernloehr recommends attending in business attire if possible.

“Plan B should be the uniform,” he said. “But conservative business attire is recommended. Most employers understand if you attend in uniform, and about 50 percent of people who attend are in uniform. But those who have time to prepare should show up in a business suit.”

Evan Lesser, director of ClearanceJobs.com, a placement firm for security cleared personnel, suggests job fair attendees take something besides a résumé.

“Most employers’ Web sites list their open jobs,” he said. “If there’s a job that fits your experience, print out the job and bring it with you. Hand it to the recruiter at the event and tell them in three sentences why you should be interviewed for the position.”

Take off the blinders

Federal agencies and defense contractors make up the majority of employers looking for security-cleared personnel. But the defense industry is constantly evolving. In addition to the names everyone knows — Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin — thousands of companies are continually being awarded defense dollars. To win these awards, they have to staff their projects with security-cleared personnel — which means they also send representatives to security-clearance job fairs. You could miss out on great career opportunities if you work your way through the job fair looking only for recognizable company names.

“Many job seekers typically get in line with the names they know,” Bernloehr said. “But the perfect opportunity might be a company you’ve never heard of. The tendency is to go for name brand recognition, but you could be limiting yourself. To make the most out of the event, look at everybody.”

Does location matter?

Employers from around the country will travel to locations that are hosting job fairs. But for the most part, geography is a factor when it comes to job opportunities represented at these events.

ClearanceJobs.com hosts more than 90 job fairs every year and, according to Lesser, “The majority of open positions are for jobs located in the same city we are exhibiting. But it should be noted that just about all of the employers we work with have other openings in other cities, so candidates willing to relocate should still attend.”

Lesser finds that currently, the Washington, D.C., region; Colorado Springs, Colo.; and San Diego are the top three locations that interest separating service members. At the same time, relocation may not be an issue for many job seekers.

“Most have an idea where they would want to work but are open to any good opportunity,” he said.