Upcoming Virtual Job Fair with Texas Veterans Commission
Peak Performers recently partnered with the Texas Veterans Commission to share job seeking tips for veterans and job seekers with disabilities prior to their job fair on September 22nd, 2021.
You can watch the video on Linkedin.
“You are more than your disability. Focus on your capabilities.” -Myles Wallace, Strategic Partnership Specialist at Peak Performers.
By the way, did you know that Peak Performers is a veteran friendly employer? 10% or more of our workforce are veterans.
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Media contact: myles@peakperformers.org – (512) 453-8833 X 116
Peak Performers employment agency is an active part of the recruiting and job seeking community and connected to many organizations and resources that may help job seekers find work. Here is our curated list of Austin job seeking resources:
General Job Seeker Services
Workforce Solutions is the operational arm of Texas Workforce Commission in providing various job seeker services. Peak Performers does not provide job seeker services and will usually refer job seekers onto Workforce Solutions.
You can turn to Workforce Solutions for services such as:
Unemployment benefits
Free or discounted training and education opportunities
NEW! In response to the sudden rise in unemployment, Workforce Solutions has launched a “Jobs Now” website, which is a manually curated list of jobs that are still hiring despite current market conditions.
Additionally, they hold job fairs periodically throughout the year:
There are multiple locations in the Austin area, and they’re open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. They accept walk-ins and appointments for job seekers with specific needs.
9001 N Interstate Hwy 35 Ste 110, Austin, TX 78753 (North Austin)
575 Round Rock W Dr Building H, Suite 240, Round Rock, TX 78681 (Round Rock)
7701 Metropolis Dr, Austin, TX 78744 (South Austin)
Austin Job Clubs
Job seeking can be demoralizing, especially if you’re told “no” over and over. It can be valuable to join a community of other job seekers to keep you motivated and to offer guidance along the way. Fortunately, Austin metro area has three prominent job clubs which you can become involved in. They will often feature speakers, job fairs, and resume workshops. These are free to attend—they ask for donations from previous job seekers and from employer sponsorships.
Note: currently job clubs are suspended due to outbreaks in the COVID-19. This article will be updated when the job clubs are back in session.
Recommended Job Seeker Websites
There are a lot of websites out there to help job seekers find work and much of your time is going to be spent utilizing these resources. Gone are the days of walking into businesses and dropping off your resume at the front desk. “Help wanted” signs now hang in the digital window.
You should use all or many of these websites to aid your job search. Generally, these websites are free to job seekers and require minutes to start an account.
ZipRecruiter – this platform has taken the recruiting world by storm as it does a great job of proactively finding jobs that may be a fit and inviting you to apply. It is also pulls jobs from hundreds of other websites and centralizes them in one place.
Monster – this platform is used by many recruiters for its advanced search features. It also tends to attract many professional and information technology job seekers. From an employer side, the cost is rather daunting but that tends to attract larger employers looking for hard-to-find candidates.
Dice – this is widely used in the Austin information technology job search community. Dice tends to attract mid and senior -level professionals.
WorkInTexas – this is used in Texas by Workforce Solutions to post jobs. Jobseekers filing for unemployment will be required to build a profile….but take time to do it right—many job seekers don’t fill in all the information! Savvy recruiters use this website because it’s free and because it’s a snap shot of nearly all job seekers available, not just the ones who have their resume up on other platforms.
Glassdoor – jobs are posted to Glassdoor but perhaps more important are the tools to read company reviews and explore salaries. Glassdoor is an important part of your research toolkit so that you spend time engaging with reputable companies.
Austin Chamber of Commerce – in response to the COVID-19 unemployment crisis, the Austin Chamber of Commerce has launched a listing of businesses in Austin who are still hiring. Great for doing some research and discovering companies that you haven’t heard of before.
Additional Job Seeking Resources
Here is a list of other resources that I refer people onto who are looking for work:
AustinUp is a local nonprofit that connects older adults (ages 50+) with employers seeking experienced professionals. AustinUp also partners with AARP in order to connect older adults with a host of other services. AustinUp has periodic job fairs throughout the year as well as regular meetings.
Texas Veterans Commission supports Texas veterans and their spouses who are looking for work and other services. Texas Veterans Commission career advisors work out of Workforce Solutions offices.
There can be other barriers getting in the way of finding a job. Here is a list of some of those local resources:
Austin Urban League is a local nonprofit that seeks to help African Americans and other under-served urban residents with job training, housing programs, and education.
Homeless Veteran Assistance the local VA helps homeless veterans get connected to housing and jobs. Local resources available to help veterans and their spouses.
Dress for Success helps disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development resources.
Foundation Communities is a local nonprofit that assists central Texas residents with financial assistance, health insurance, and access to other services to help ensure they are able to start work.
Job fairs can either be an incredible networking opportunity or an incredible waste of time. Like most aspects of the job search, thorough preparation and strategic follow-up are crucial to success. Also, many job fairs have moved online with Covid-19–that said, you should still prepare for them the same way you would with in-person networking events.
Here’s how to make the most of your next event:
Come prepared.
Once you find out what companies will be present, do some additional research to help prioritize the ones you’d like to target. Don’t waste your time talking to companies that are obviously not a good fit. Check the company websites for specific job postings you find interesting and apply online ahead of time. It’s always important to update and bring printed copies of your resume or any other materials you might need.
Remember that you’re indirectly competing with everyone else who attends the event. Tell an honest, but unique story, and prepare to say it over and over again. You’ll want to quickly and clearly communicate who you are, what skills you can offer and some specifics regarding your ideal scenario.
Be a professional.
Arrive early to ensure that you’re able to meet with each company you’re targeting. We recommend treating each interaction just as you would a traditional job interview. Dress to impress (even if it’s virtual). Be enthusiastic. Stay engaged. Give a firm handshake. Even though job fairs tend to be more casual than interviews, be careful not to overshare information about your health, personal opinions or political affiliations. And try not to be that person who mulls around and takes all the tchotchkes without making eye contact with anyone.
Make your time count.
As you interact with recruiters, try to collect as many people’s contact information as possible. Ask good questions, and try to make small connections with people so you can reference it later when you follow up. If you’re standing in line waiting to talk to a representative, study the company literature or listen to the conversations going on in front of you to glean as much information as you can. It’s also important to be nice to everyone, including other job seekers or event staff. You never know what interaction might make (or break) your next opportunity.
Follow up and follow through.
Taking copious notes during (or immediately after) the event will help you organize your next steps. You’ll want to remember names, titles, contact information and any additional instructions on how to follow up. It’s also helpful to jot down any personal connections you make with recruiters (i.e. shared hobbies, sports teams, alma maters) so you can be sure to include this in your follow up correspondence. Send a brief email to each person you met. Here’s a very simple template to get you started:
Subject: From [your full name]: Nice to meet you!
Hi [first name of recruiter],
My name is [your name], and we met today at [recruiting event]. I just wanted to thank you again for sharing your experience and for providing information about your open positions.
As discussed earlier, I’m very excited to explore further opportunities with [company name]. I really appreciated your time and helpful advice.
I’ve also attached my resume for reference, and a few of the projects I mentioned as well. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need on my end. I look forward to connecting again soon!
