65 Potential Employers to Set Up At Hiring Heroes Career Fair

By: Calun Reece, 1st Inf. Div. Post

For military service members transitioning back to civilian jobs, the Hiring Heroes Career Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 17 at Riley's Conference Center.

This year, about 65 potential employers will be present at the event. Some of the employers include the Department of Defense, as well as federal and private sector employers, like Lockheed Martin, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, GameStop, GTM Sportswear, Picerne, Staples, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Corp of Engineers.

Last year, about 600 people attended the event. Job opportunities will be available locally and worldwide. Sometimes jobs are offered on-the-spot, and sometimes job interviews are set up at the event, according to Sylvia Parker, project manager and human resources specialist, Emphasis on Recruitment, DoD.

The Soldier Family Assistant Center also will be working at the fifth annual event. The SFAC offers classes in resume building and how to dress for success, as well as provides additional job-preparation tips. Parker and her team, along with SFAC, also will be offering assistance in job preparation at the event.

"Our target population is really the caregivers or spouses of the injured service member," Parker said. "We really have to help them because often the injured can't work."

It can be difficult to care for an injured spouse while also looking for a job, Parker said. "Often times, the spouse looking for work is young and sometimes never had a real job before, so they need help in preparing and getting a job," she said.

Potential employees must be able to recognize the skills and abilities they have to offer to a future employee, Parker said. "We have to help them see they have all kinds of good skills and help them recognize that great skills translate into great employees," she said.