How New Recruits Should Prepare to Visit a Military Recruiter and Why It Matters

Too many young people looking to join the U.S. military treat their first visit to the recruiter as a job fair, not a job interview. Walking into a recruiter's office with no idea how the process works, what job you want or minimal preparation is the first step to perhaps not enjoying the next few years.

Instead of flying blind, take some initiative: Prepare physically, study for the ASVAB and know what you must bring into the office on the first day. This may take extra preparation time, especially if you seek a competitive military occupation training program, but if you start preparing now and learn how to be a better recruit, it could make a huge difference in how smooth your entry process is.

Joining the military requires a level of preparation that depends on the job you want after basic training. For instance, joining to gain valuable communication or information technology skills will require a different type of physical preparation than someone wanting to join any special operations program. However, both require academic test-taking skills to perform well on the ASVAB and a baseline of physical fitness to be within the height, weight and physical training standards of the branch you select. You may even need advanced fitness and education if you have additional career goals in any field.