Career Day for Veterans Feb. 24 at Century Link Field

Military veterans of all eras, transitioning service members from all branches of the military, Wounded Warriors and their Care-Givers, and members of Blue Star and Gold Star families, are invited to attend Hire America’s Heroes Career Day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24, at in Seattle (800 Occidental Ave. South).

The event is free to all military family job seekers and will provide an excellent opportunity for employers to find an abundance of high-caliber employees. Job seekers and employers are required to register in order to attend (Click here for job seekers and Click here for employers).

A special Noontime Rally, moderated by Major General (ret) James M. Collins, United States Army, will honor Wounded Warriors attending the event. Remarks from the office of US Senator Patty Murray and from Junior Ortiz, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Department of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training Service will be shared. Representatives from the US Chamber of Commerce will also contribute. Facility hosts, the Seattle Seahawks, are well-known supporters of Wounded Warriors and will participate as well. 

This event is a result of the recent partnership between U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” Initiative and Hire America’s Heroes, a Seattle-based non-profit dedicated to “connecting corporate America with the rich skills and abilities of military service members and veterans.” The event is also sponsored in part by Mercer Island's waste services provider Republic Services (formerly Allied Waste). 

“This is a resume-ready event,” said John Ozburn, senior human resources manager for Republic Services, a sponsoring organization and an exhibitor. “The Fortune 100 companies at the event will have real jobs to fill and our veteran heroes are encouraged to apply.” 

Exhibitors include locally-based corporations ranging from Amazon to Weyerhaeuser as well as companies headquartered outside the state like Accenture, IBM, Prudential, Sam’s Club, Target, US Bank, Union Pacific Railroad and others. Sixty exhibitors are planning to attend the event now and more are coming in with an event capacity for seventy exhibitors.  Registered Job-Seekers are invited to post resumes prior to Career Day and registered exhibitors are encouraged to search them for potential candidates.

“Career Day is a hiring event and so much more,” said Marjorie James, Executive Director of Hire America’s Heroes. “Career Day is an opportunity for transitioning service members with up to 12 months of active duty service remaining to explore options before exiting the service. And it is an opportunity for all members of the American Military Family to get acquainted with Hire America’s Heroes, our services and our mission, and how we can assist with their career aspirations.”

Junior Ortiz, US Department of Labor Acting Assistant Secretary for the Veterans Employment and Training Service will also participate in the event.

“Our Nation has a sacred obligation to help these men and women overcome unemployment and get the good jobs and benefits that they’ve earned,” stated Ortiz.  “The Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service is proud to participate in this worthy event and appreciates the efforts of everyone- public and private sector- who have come together to connect our transitioning service members, veterans, and their families with meaningful career opportunities.”

Military job-seekers attending this one-day event will have an opportunity to videotape a practice interview session, receive feedback and coaching, then take their interview session home on a thumb drive for further review. Job-seekers may receive career coaching and counseling from veterans currently employed in exhibitor corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, Republic Services, and Starbucks who have “been-there-done-that” and can offer advice based on their own experiences.

Panels are scheduled throughout the day offering military job seekers industry-specific information on a wide range of topics including:

• Making a compelling resume
• What to expect during a corporate interview
• Education and certifications required by various industries
• How to prepare for the corporate workplace before transitioning out of the military 

Panelists represent careers in Aviation, Customer Service and Retail, Healthcare, the Insurance Industry, Information Technology, Operations and Supply Logistics, as well as careers in Maintenance, Engineering and Skilled Trades.

Subject matter experts will help veterans understand the VOW Act, Washington’s Permissive Veterans Preference Act, and other legislation that protects their employment rights. Representatives from Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve forces Transition Assistance Program (TAP) offices will be on-hand to talk with employers and job-seekers about how they can assist. Hire America’s Heroes will showcase two new Mentoring programs that bring together military transitioners with local corporations for face-to-face career exploration. And Hire America’s Heroes will unveil its new military-to-corporate connection to provide 24/7 ongoing support for job-seeking members of the American Military Family.

For a schedule of Career Day Events and Activities see www.hireamericasheroes.org.