WASHINGTON - Wounded Warriors, Veterans and their spouses are invited to attend the Department of the Navy's 7th annual Veteran and Wounded Warrior Hiring and Support Summit Wednesday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport in Seattle, Washington.
This portion of the summit, the Hiring Heroes Career Fair, will feature more than 65 government and civilian employers offering positions in the local area and around the country. Attendees are encouraged to bring their resumes, but it is not a requirement.
For active-duty service members transitioning to a civilian career, translating military skills into a salable resume is an important part of their job search. The Hiring Heroes Career Fair Lead, Vernita Anderson-Manning, recommends that service members take full advantage of the DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP), a program that provides information, tools, resume writing skills and training to ensure Service members and their spouses are prepared for the next step in civilian life, whether pursuing additional education, finding a job in government, public or private sector, or starting their own business. For information about TAP, please visit: www.dodtap.mil. Additionally, she recommends www.godefense.com as a great resource for job seekers.
"Writing that first resume can be a challenge," said Karen Hannah, DoD Hiring Heroes director, "but there are plenty of resources to help those who need it." Hannah, who also conducts seminars on understanding the federal employment process, says that presenting a resume with clear language that applies to and can be understood by potential civilian employers is a giant first step in the job search process. Hannah's team of career advisors is available to provide job search assistance Monday through Friday via a toll-free number: 1-888-363-4872 or by email at DoDHiringHeroes@mail.mil.
Caitlin Williams serves the deputy program manager for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Veteran and Wounded Warrior Program Office. Williams said last year's conference in Tampa, Florida, resulted in more than 200 job offers for post-military employment, and they're anticipating more this at this year's summit. NAVSEA, which includes both the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport, plans to hire more than 800 new employees this year.
"The first step in getting information about these jobs is to create an online profile at USA jobs (www.USAjobs.gov), said Williams. "It takes a few minutes, but once you set up your profile, it's pretty easy to manage and get alerts on the available jobs."
For those veterans who don't plan to apply for federal jobs, Williams says this link is still a valuable place to start. The site includes an online resume builder that can serve as a template for civilian employers, too.
Other online resources for veterans include the United Service Organizations (USO), offering a full range of mentoring and transition services https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-transition-services.
"You don't need a resume to attend the summit," said Williams. "We'll have more than 65 federal and civilian employers on site, and we encourage both active-duty and veterans to come and visit and ask questions. Whether they're ready for a job today or they're just starting the transition process, we'll have great resources there who can help guide them."
The summit is open to all active-duty, veterans, spouses, families and caregivers. No registration is necessary. Visit www.HireAVet.navy.mil for more information.
- NAVSEA -