The Career Center, a Hidden Gem at NRPA's Congress


By Nathaniel Jaramillo | Posted on September 9, 2013

The NRPA Congress and Exposition is a little over a month away and many of us are planning what education sessions to attend, which networking events we will go to, and what vendors we will meet with and visit in the Exhibit Hall. Did you know though, that amongst the thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of square feet of floor space lays one of what I like to call a “Hidden Gem” of Congress? 

What could it be? Will you have to look hard for this hidden gem? 

No way!  I am talking about the Career Center people!
The Career Center is located inside the Exhibit Hall and is a one-stop shop for finding a job, locating an internship, interviewing on-site, and getting your resume critiqued. How can all of this be done in one place….well it is all made possible by NRPA and the Young Professionals Network.  

 

Blog-Career-Center-Congress
The Career Center at Congress can help you land a great job or recruit top talent 

 
Why is a career center important?
When you bring thousands of people from the field and industry together in one place each year at Congress, it is ripe for the opportunity to network, explore new job advancements and opportunities. 
 
Here is what you can find at the Career Center – booth 120 if I didn’t mention that before: 
  • Job Wall- the Job Wall located inside of the Career Center has all of the jobs listed in the NRPA online career center posted through October 10 as well as many other internships, Graduate Assistant Jobs, and full-time job openings. The best thing is, if you see a job you like, you can walk a few feet and use the computer located inside the Career Center to apply for the job on-site. We will also have job inquiry folders that you can leave your information in, which will be forwarded on to the proper employer.
  • Interview Room - Last year, the interview room was truly a gold mine. Numerous students and young professionals landed their first jobs, internships and graduate assistant opportunities at Congress – yes, right on the spot! Prospective employers and employees have the opportunity to do on-site interviews in this properly equipped room, and employers can sign up to use the room for interviewing purposes.

  • Resume Critiquing - Who doesn’t love feedback? The Young Professional Network will offer assistance to any individual who wants their resume reviewed at the Career Center. If you aren’t sure about your resume, haven’t done a resume in a while or just want another opinion, we’ll be there and ready to help out.  We have had many people utilize this service in the previous years and look forward to helping as many people as necessary while in Houston.
 
If you take the time to come to the Exhibit Hall and see what the Career Center has to offer you, I promise you will not be disappointed. Whether you are pursuing a career, furthering your profession or searching for the perfect candidate, the NRPA Career Center is your go-to resource.
 
What are your key interviewing tips? What ways do you network at Congress? Share your thoughts or experiences you may have had at the Congress Career Center below. We want to hear from you!

 

Written by: Nathaniel Jaramillo, Recreation Specialist II for Clark County Parks and Recreation, Nevada; President-Elect for the Nevada Recreation and Parks Society