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8.3 Finding a Job

Don’t forget, too, to check out job fairs or career fairs for networking opportunities.
Throughout the country, such fairs are held regularly (usually at no charge) by large com-
panies, groups of employers, local communities, government agencies, school districts, and
other organizations to find qualified job candidates. These events usually last for a few hours
or half a day at a specific location. Because different employers are often present, you usually
will not be able to customize your résumé to a specific organization. However, if you wish, you
will have the chance to meet a number of different company representatives, chat with them
briefly, and hand them a copy of a general résumé you have prepared.

To participate in these job or career fairs, search using the key words “job fair” or “career
fair” and the name of your local community or state for calendars of nearby events. Prior
to an event, prepare a standard résumé and make multiple copies. On the day of the fair,
dress professionally, arrive early, and carry some type of folder that contains your résumés.
As you wander through the job fair, stop by any tables of companies that interest you to learn
more about them, network with people in the industry, and decide if you would like to leave a
résumé for their review. It’s as simple as that! Ask about when they might get back to you or
if you can follow up later—and then do so!

Additional Career Resources

Numerous federal and state government departments and agencies and public nonprofit
organizations provide information on the web related to careers and job hunting. In addition
to the websites we have already discussed in this module, other popular and extensive online
government and organizational websites are listed in the following paragraphs. Your local
libraries, as well as state and local colleges and universities, also have resources available to
the public. Don’t forget to check community resources in your town or county, as well. Most of
these resources are free or available for a nominal fee.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal federal
agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and
price changes in the U.S. economy. This federal agency seeks to provide information
to the public and to invest in the U.S. workforce. To do so, the bureau provides student
resources related to the job market and current economy, career exploration maps,
data on monthly and annual employment and unemployment in geographic areas,
and videos on various occupations. Some of these resources are for elementary or
high school students. However, the higher-grade-level materials are useful for college
students. The site also includes excellent publications such as the Occupational Outlook
Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/ooh), a guide to career information for hundreds of
different occupations, and Career Outlook (http://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook), a
quarterly online publication with articles targeting different career fields each quarter.

• SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives): https://www.score.org
SCORE is a mentorship resource with more than 10,000 volunteers in more than 300
chapters across the United States that offers free-of-charge expertise, education, and
tools to aid entrepreneurs and small business owners in more than 62 industries.
Community events, online workshops, local community workshops, and live webinars
are offered, in addition to face-to-face interaction with a mentor to assist you in
meeting your specific business goals. SCORE works with solo entrepreneurs, nonprofit

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