Vision Expo to Host Virtual Career Zone Event on September 22

Vision Expo announced plans to host the Virtual Career Zone, a virtual networking event designed to connect young professionals and students with prominent optical companies.

Set to take place on Tuesday, September 22 from 11-11:55 a.m. EDT, the virtual event is inspired by Vision Expo’s on-site Career Zone and will include an exclusive panel discussion moderated by Matt Geller, OD, Co-Founder and CEO of CovalentCareers, followed by opportunities for virtual networking with individual company leaders from National Vision, Shopko Optical, MyEyeDr., and Luxottica.

To register for the free event, click here.

“The pandemic has altered many of the fundamental ways we conduct business, which presents new challenges for young professionals and students navigating the early stages of their careers,” Suzanne Krauss, Vision Expo’s Career Zone Manager, said in a company news release. “We recognize that it is more important than ever for the vision community to support the next generation of eyecare providers and vision community leaders by creating opportunities for them to forge meaningful connections and learn from industry leaders. The Virtual Career Zone event will offer an outlet for young people seeking advice and guidance as they plan their future in a continually evolving marketplace.”

The event will begin with a 30-minute panel discussion – “GETTING HIRED! How to be desirable in this market, how to stay relevant, and how to virtually network effectively” – moderated by Dr. Matt Geller. The panel will provide insight into the new challenges associated with searching for a job during a pandemic, with panelists offering actionable tips and career resources designed to help young professionals adapt to the current demands of the job market.

Panelists include:

• Dr. Bill Werner, National Vision
• Tracey M. Glendenning, O.D., FCOVD, and Director of Residencies and Externships at MyEyeDr.
• Dr. Thomas Bobka, Shopko Optical
• Paul Case, Senior Manager, OD Recruiting at Luxottica
• Dr. Scott Seaburg, Clinical Director, Luxottica Eye Care

Following the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to join 5-minute conversations with the participating companies of interest to them. These break-out conversations will provide valuable opportunities for young professionals and students to ask questions and learn more about specific companies and career paths.

Additionally, the Virtual Career Zone’s Passport Incentive Program will provide attendees with the chance to win prizes. To be eligible to win, participants must attend the entire 55-minute program.

The Virtual Career Zone is part of a comprehensive series of virtual programming that Vision Expo is offering to bring the optical community together in between in-person events.  Hosted on Vision Expo’s Vision Connects webpage, additional virtual offerings include the Virtual EYE2EYE series, a series of virtual panels and interactive conversations inspired by Vision Expo’s EYE2EYE Educational Series; the InFocus video series, a series of 4-minute video interviews with some of Vision Expo’s top industry attendees and OPTImum program buyers; and the soon-to-be launched Virtual Vision Series. These virtual offerings are designed for the eyewear and eyecare community to source content, build industry knowledge, facilitate connections and schedule meetings.