Finding Your Professional Happily Ever After
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GUEST BLOGGER
Leslie Simpson, CFE
ACFE Director of Events
When I graduated from the University of North Texas I believed I would search for and find the job of my dreams. I thought I would go to work every day, be the model employee, and my perfect career path would be laid out for me. It would just happen, right? Fast-forward to present times. I have learned that it doesn’t just happen and in order to stay fulfilled in my career there is a lot of effort, personal and professional improvements to constantly make, and strategy involved in finding that happily ever after.
Professional development means different things to different people at different stages of their lives, and luckily the ACFE’s Career Connection at this year’s 24th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference will address many of those scenarios. Whether you’re seeking a job, embarking on a career change or simply looking to advance and improve, the Career Connection has something for you:
Featured Employers
The hardest part of finding a new job is getting your foot in the door and gaining the face-to-face time that allows you to show the remarkable personality a cover letter and résumé can’t convey. Conference attendees will have the chance to connect in person with staff and recruiters from the anti-fraud industry’s top companies and government organizations. They will be on-hand to talk about their organization’s work culture, share any job opportunities available and even informally interview on the spot.
Career Coaching
One of the most valuable benefits of the Career Connection is the coaching. Find answers to your professional questions or obtain useful advice during a private counseling session with a leading career strategist. These experts specialize in addressing your questions and concerns no matter what professional scenario you face.
Résumé Review
Making a lasting impression in less than seven seconds is a challenge, but it has to be done in order to grab a hiring manager’s attention for a possible interview. Attendees are encouraged to bring their résumé and sign up for one-on-one résumé reviews where coaches will cover proper formatting and highlight the accomplishments that will help convince hiring managers that you are the problem solver they have been looking for.
Mock Job Interviews
For the first time, attendees will be able to participate in mock job interviews. Our career strategists are prepared to ask the tough, open-ended questions typical in professional interviews. They will provide instant feedback that will help you to develop better interview strategies, improve your communication skills and manage the stress of the interview.
Special Presentations
The Presentation Stage, located in the Exhibit Hall, will offer brief career development presentations that are full of tips and suggestions on how to get ahead and stay ahead in your career, all presented by a veteran hiring manager.
Jim Albright, my college copywriting professor gave me great advice when he said, “Do what you love, and the money will come,” but he should have followed that statement with a head’s up that the path to excellence is always a work in progress. The professional development to be obtained at this year’s Career Connection is priceless. I hope you will take advantage of it.