Our Blog

BY Joel Junker

November 2014 Career Conference Results

After a very busy and action packed four days, we have completed our final Career Conference for 2014!    57 candidates and 21 spouses/support team members attended as we conducted over 700 interviews with an average of 12.5 interviews per candidate.  As a group, the pursuit rate was 60+%, with the pursuit rate defined as the number of interviews in which the candidates achieved success divided by the total number of their interviews.   Achieving success in an interview at the Career Conference simply means the companies expressed interest in moving forward in the interview process with the candidate.

As I sit at my desk typing this blog post, I can hear my team in the background talking to all of the November candidates throughout the day today  to solidify their career search plans based on their Conference results as we prepare to start the follow up process.  We have a few candidates already traveling today to visit a company for their first follow up interview. Statistically it takes an average of 18 working days for the Cameron-Brooks candidates to conduct their follow-up interviews, earn their offer(s), and make their career decision.  I’ve read several articles that it can take the average job seeker months to conduct a job search.  So, why does the Cameron-Brooks process take just 18 days?  First, the recruiters attending the Career Conference are hiring managers allowing our candidates to bypass many of the steps they would have to go through on their own to get in front of a decision maker.  Second, we have had over 47 years to perfect our process.  We know how to work with the companies and the candidate to set up the interviews, manage the logistics, and prepare candidates for successful follow-up interviewing.  We are in close contact with the candidates and the companies every step of the way, and it is common for us to talk to a candidate every day in the follow-up process.  This allows candidates to conduct a true career search to evaluate their options and make a good career decision that lines up with their terminal leave start date or separation date from the military.

I compliment the November Candidates and their spouse support team members for their investment they put into their preparation and for their great attitudes at the Conference.   I asked many of them on what advice they would give to others about preparation and about the Conference itself.  The common theme about preparation was being fully engaged in the reading program and spending as much time as possible practicing their interview answers with other Cameron-Brooks candidates.  Three of the November Conference candidates were stationed at the same Army post and had been spending time nearly every day together for the last couple of months to work through their interview answers and all three had very successful conferences.  Another candidate stationed in Alaska spent time on Skype with another candidate stationed in the Northwest.  Where there is a will there is a way to make it happen and you simply cannot spend too much time improving your business communication and making your answers as natural and conversant as possible.

Whether you are merely contemplating a transition from military to business or are preparing for your transition, the end of the year is a great time to start setting goals, gather research and develop a plan of action.  The November Candidates all would tell you that you cannot start your preparation too early, nor can you attend a Cameron-Brooks career transition presentation or a Personal Marketability Assessment too early.  Cameron-Brooks recruiters will be traveling to Colorado Springs, CO; Manhattan, KS; Norfolk, VA; Jacksonville, NC; Killeen, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Fayetteville, NC; and Tacoma, WA between now and the end of the year.  If you cannot make one of these visits, we also offer live and recorded Webcasts on, “Considering a Business Career?  What You Should Know,” and we can conduct phone and Skype Video personal sessions.  Take control of your career, set a goal, develop a plan of action, prepare, and when you do you will reduce the variability in your results and reach your goals.

We are excited to partner with such outstanding men and women serving our nation and big congratulations to all of the November Conference candidates and their spouses and support team members in taking a big first step towards their new career in Corporate America!

Rob Davis