Hiring Our Heroes job fair 'a talent pool' for recruiters
Legionnaire Brian Mitchell speaks with a visitor at the Hiring Our Heroes job fair in Rochester, N.Y., on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016. Photo by Mike Bradley/The American Legion

Hiring Our Heroes job fair 'a talent pool' for recruiters

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Klara Calai traveled thousands of miles to attend the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes job fair Sept. 22 in Rochester, N.Y. She has lived for the last 12 years in Europe with her husband, who is an Air Force colonel stationed in Brussels, Belgium.

“I am here looking for a job, since we will be relocating to the U.S. next summer,” said Calai, who was among more than 100 spouses, military veterans and current servicemembers meeting with prospective employers at the job fair. “I am looking for job opportunities all over the States.”

The Rochester job fair was the third Hiring Our Heroes event she has attended, along with others in Tampa, Fla., and Washington, D.C. “I would like to work for a pharma or biotech company because I have a degree in biochemistry and an MBA."

More than 65 employers – ranging from local companies to international firms such as FedEx, Lockheed Martin and others – met with prospective workers. Security agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol and law enforcement agencies were on hand, as well as financial service firms, science and technology companies and others.

Charles Tulaney, who served in the Marine Corps for 28 years, was recruiting for Lockheed Martin where he is a military relations manager.

“We have a specific interest in the military community, the transitioning servicemembers because they are great employees,” said Tulaney, who was recruiting for a variety of positions including electronics technicians, aviation mechanics, systems engineers and other professionals. “At Lockheed Martin, we have about 100,000 employees, of who about 20-25 percent are veterans. We see value in that talent pool so we keep coming back.”

The American Legion, which coordinates dozens of job fairs each year with Hiring Our Heroes, had a prominent booth, run by Brian Mitchell, the Monroe County commander.

“I am here as a spokesman for The American Legion, to talk to these servicemen and women who might not know about The American Legion and our programs and everything we offer,” said Mitchell, who has been a Legion member for more than 40 years. “So we can help them to transition to civilian life.”

It’s also a way for transitioning servicemembers to not only learn about the services the Legion provides all veterans, but more about the organization itself. “They have an opportunity to learn what the Legion is about,” he said. “As I travel around to the different posts in Monroe County, I hear a lot about, ‘How do we get more members?’ This is how you get more members. You have to be out front and visible and talk with these people. You need to present yourself well to the community.”

Kathryn Poynton, a retired lieutenant colonel, is now director of events for the Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes program.

“What we are trying to do is to present a well-rounded event for our area veterans, and hope that those who are looking find those opportunities,” Poynton said. She recommended some steps that job seekers should take before, during and after attending a Hiring Our Heroes job fair:

• Have someone look at your résumé ahead of time.

• Look at the Chamber website and find out which employers and jobs are available at the job fair you want to attend.

• Tailor your résumé to the specific companies and jobs you want to target.

• Ask for the employer’s business card and follow up with the recruiter after the job fair.

Poynton credited the Legion for its role in helping the program grow.

“The American Legion has been one of our partners since the beginning and the program has been around since 2011,” Poynton said. “They have supported us on a national scale. We have the support nationally from The American Legion and that helps us get support on the local level. Keep in mind that these events are for military spouses, so they have the ability to get the information out through their mass network.”

The fact that Hiring Our Heroes and The American Legion work together to produce dozens of similar hiring events for veterans, military members and their spouses was not lost on Calai.

“I have been to both civilian and military job fairs and we seem to be treated much better at the military job fairs,” she said. “People seem to appreciate the service more. I appreciate all the contacts I have made through these job fairs and the support of The American Legion.”