Photo By Master Sgt. Miriam Espinoza | Approximately 30 employers eager to recruit veterans came together at the Tacoma...... read more read more
Subscribe
TACOMA, Wash. – Finding a new career is no easy task, especially when you could have as little as 90 days to decide on one. Many veterans are facing this decision due to the Army’s downsizing strategy for the upcoming years.
Approximately 30 employers and several organizations dedicated to helping veterans transition to civilian life had representatives at the Tacoma Convention Center, Washington as part of Hire America’s Heroes Job Fair Sept. 5.
More than 120 recruiters from employers such as Boeing, Amazon, Microsoft and Alaska Airlines attended the event to answer questions and take applications from veterans.
“An important step in the transition process is networking,” said retired Army Col. Andy Jasaitis, program manager for Hire America’s Heroes.
Hire America’s Heroes is a nonprofit organization dedicated to help veterans accomplish this by providing them with the opportunity to meet future employers and establish relationships.
“It’s a real educational experience for the job seekers,” said Andrea Nelson the program manager for Hire America’s Heroes. “We know that 86 percent of jobs are landed by being introduced to someone, so the more you can network and get to know people, the better off you’re going to be.”
“The program helps veterans meet, connect, network and make that transition into the civilian workforce,” Nelson said.
Among the many resources available during the job fair was Boots to Shoes, a nonprofit organization composed of business professionals from the surrounding communities.
The Boots to Shoes program was founded in 2010 after initial research showed that having a business mentor who understands career transition would greatly benefit veterans during their transition to civilian life.
According to the program’s official website, the organization’s mission is to increase the support to 21st century veterans to ensure they have a successful transition into civilian jobs. It also serves as an example of going forward by giving back.
“There’s no single solution to helping veterans transition out of the military,” said Patricia Conover the program director for Boots to Shoes. “It’s typically an effort of many organizations and we encourage veterans to use all the resources out there.”
The program matches veterans with mentors who understand the discomfort of being without employment, the need to structure your day and have more than a plan of looking for a job online and the intricacies of the interview process, added Conover.
The mentors are volunteers who help veterans with the transitioning process by providing them with the tools necessary to find a new career after the military.
“One of the main prerequisites to become a mentor is prior experience in a career transition,” Conover said.
Mentors contribute to the veteran’s search for a new career by helping them build resumes, understand the language of civilian profession or assist in familiarizing them with job search strategies.
“What we ask our mentors to do is specifically focus on assisting a veteran to be prepared so they can be the best candidates in the room,” Conover said.
The purpose of the mentor is to ensure veterans know what an employer is looking for, that they can translate their skills and speak effectively and articulately about what they bring to the table during an interview, Conover added.
“It’s a great opportunity to give back and it’s an important cause,” said James Fitzgerald a mentor with Boots to Shoes.
Boots to Shoes uses venues like the Hire America’s Heroes job fairs to meet with potential mentors for their program and speak with veterans attending the fair about what their program can offer them during their transition to civilian life.
The veteran is paired with a mentor depending on the career they want to pursue, not the career they had while in the military.
“Since we started, we’ve matched almost 300 veterans with mentors and we have found it very helpful,” Conover said. “The veterans that we have matched are now coming back wanting to be mentors.”
The program is currently available in King, Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap and Snohomish counties.
“It’s very reassuring to know that there are people out there to help us transition out of military life,” said Sgt. Jesse Webber a transportation manager with 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd
Infantry Division. Webber is one of the many veterans who attended the job fair in search for his future career as he transitions out of the Army.
“Don’t wait, most jobs are earned or obtained by direct relationships or referrals. You have to start networking, it takes months to get a job,” Jasaitis said.
For more information about the Boots to Shoes program or how you can volunteer or get mentorship please go to the Boots to Shoes Foundation website, http://www.bootstoshoes.org. For more information about Hire America’s Heroes and future job fairs visit http://hireamericasheroes.org.
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2014 22:03 |
| Story ID: | 141632 |
| Location: | TACOMA, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Your future career is waiting, by MSG Miriam Espinoza, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT