CofC Hosting Career Fair for Veterans

The College of Charleston’s School of Professional Studies is partnering with local businesses and veterans groups to help active and former military members and their families find civilian jobs.

The School of Professional Studies, along with Prudential Financial and Palmetto Warrior Connection, is hosting the 2017 Volvo Car Open Military and Veterans Career Readiness Fair in March and April 2017. The series of free events is aimed at making sure that veterans have the confidence and skills they need for jobs outside the armed services.

“The College of Charleston is committed to helping veterans make the transition from military services to careers,” says Godfrey Gibbison, dean of the School of Professional Studies. “We consider it a privilege to be part of the transition process for the men and women who have served the country in such an extraordinary way.”

Gibbison says the events — which include seminars, mock interviews and career fairs — will help connect veterans with the educational and work opportunities in the Lowcountry. But they’ll also target some aspects of the civilian job search process that may seem unfamiliar after a career in the armed forces, including resume writing, translation of military skills and competences to civilian language, dress codes and brand building.

“The idea is to help veterans develop these skills that help them succeed in the job search process,” he says. “Veterans clearly have the skills to do well once they make it into the labor force.”

The events kick off with a set of seminars and networking events from March 2-4, 2017, at the College’s North Campus in North Charleston.

At 6 p.m. on March 2, industry leaders will work with attendees on networking skills essential to the job search process.

March 3 and 4 will be filled with one-hour seminars to help attendees navigate all aspects of a job search — from branding and developing cover letters and resumes to proper dress for an in-office interview and mock questions.

There will also be a College recruitment fair on March 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The seminars should prove useful for the next stage of the event — a career fair at the North Campus building from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 4, 2017. Attendees will have access to computer labs to print any materials needed for interviews.

Ahead of the fair, there will be rounds of mock interviews and one-on-one development sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 3.

Palmetto Warrior Connection is providing childcare during the fair and seminars, and local transportation to the North Campus building will be offered based on availability.

Visit the CofC North Campus website to register for the 2017 Volvo Car Open Military and Veterans Career Readiness Fair.