It is the 8th Armed Forces & Veterans Resettlement Expo sponsored by NEBOSH on Thursday October 27 taking place at Colchester United’s Jobserve Community Stadium. REGISTER HERE!
With it being the 8th event in the expo series, we have 8 top tips on how to network and get the most from it…
Networking: 8 Top Tips
1 Start now. It is never too early to begin building your network. Build it before you need it. Plus, growing your network might even help you decide when to leave military life.
2 Ask friends and family for help. From bouncing ideas to introducing useful contacts, they can be more helpful than you might realise.
3 Join LinkedIn. Almost everyone in a civilian profession is on LinkedIn. Take the time to build a good profile, find useful contacts and build your network.
4 Contact veteran organisations. There are several key charities, veteran organisations and military employment groups able to offer employment support.
5 Treat every conversation like a job interview. Who knows where a conversation might lead? Always present yourself as hardworking, curious and eager to learn. Ask lots of questions instead of talking about yourself.
6 Feeling nervous is okay. This is a big step so doubts and nerves are to be expected. Try to focus on the opportunities instead. Remember, nobody enjoys talking to strangers but you are contacting people with a clear purpose.
7 Never stop networking. You really are as strong as your network, so don’t stop building yours. The more useful contacts you have, the more opportunities you can create.
8 Pay it back. It goes without saying, if people contributed to your success, you should do the same for others.
Camaraderie is one of the military community’s greatest strengths and everyone benefits if you apply that mentality to your civilian career.
Happy Networking – see you at Colchester!