Veteran Job Fairs

The home of one of the NBA’s most popular teams will host a career event for current and former military servicemembers and their spouses. The American Legion, in conjunction with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others will host a Hiring Our Heroes job expo at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Nov. 7. The expo includes an employment workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., where job seekers will be able to meet with a team of hiring experts. This Hiring Our Heroes employment workshop is led by HR and workforce professionals and covers a variety of topics including résumé building, networking, and interview tips, taking into account the job seeker's military background and lifestyle. Hiring Our Heroes digital tools are also integrated into the workshop curriculum. Immediately following the workshop, volunteer career coaches will help attendees develop an elevator pitch, participate in a mock interview, and create a more effective résumé. After the workshop, a hiring fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature prospective employers seeking to hire veterans and their spouses. Current military personnel, veterans and their families are welcome to attend. Attendees should come with their résumés in hand, and be prepared to network or even interview on the spot. No registration is necessary; however, registering for the event allows job seekers to upload their résumés to be viewed by employers ahead of time. All registered veterans and military spouses are also eligible to receive up to two free tickets to attend that evening’s game between the Warriors and the New Orleans Pelicans. Click here to register. Event information: Nov. 7 Oracle Arena 7000 Coliseum Way Oakland, CA 94621 9:30-11 a.m. employment workshop 11 a.m.-2 p.m. hiring fair

The American Legion Department of New Jersey is teaming up with the Small Business Administration and the Small Business Development Center-New Jersey for a Boots to Business Reboot workshop Oct. 25 in Blackwood, N.J. The free one-day course, which also includes an eight-week online course, will provide entrepreneurship training for veterans who want to start, expand or purchase a small business. The workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m at American Legion Post 281, 2102 Chews Landing Road, Blackwood. Those wishing to participate must register by Oct. 18 here. For more information, contact Gary Spillane, SBA Veterans Small Business Outreach Officer, via email or by phone at (972) 645-2427.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) are teaming up on October 5, 2016, to provide career-seeking service members, veterans and their spouses the opportunity to connect with job openings being offered by some of the top names in the hospitality industry. The VFW Virtual Career Fair will run from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT, and will feature available opportunities with BJ’s Restaurants, Ecolab, Hyatt, Sodexo and Sysco, all companies with a history of commitment to hiring America’s service members and veterans. Participants are strongly encouraged to preregister for the event athttp://www.vfwvirtual.com/registration/. “We’re pleased to join together with the NRAEF on this large-scale hiring initiative,” said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy, a U.S. Air Force veteran and retired UPS assistant chief pilot. “In today’s competitive job market, the VFW is dedicated to providing every possible opportunity for our service members, veterans and their spouses to succeed in their careers. VFW Virtual Career Fairs help bridge the gap between America’s top-tier military and veteran candidates and the industry leaders dedicated to hiring them.” Founded in 1987, the NRAEF is the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association. The NRAEF impacts the prosperity of the restaurant industry by developing a stronger workforce and building the next generation of industry leaders.  The foundation’s educational initiatives provide culinary, management, food safety and employability skills training to build a pipeline of talent for the growing industry. “The NRAEF is honored to partner with the VFW on this initiative,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. “More than 250,000 military veterans are currently employed in the restaurant industry, and the number of employment opportunities is projected to increase in the next five years. These veterans have dedicated their lives to fight for the freedoms we enjoy daily. Having the chance to give back by connecting them with new careers through top-notch industry employers honors NRAEF’s commitment to support America's service men and women.” The October 5 hospitality-focused event will seek candidates to fill a myriad of opportunities in the industry, ranging from front of the house and back of the house restaurant positions, to those involving administrative, food services, culinary, facilities management, environmental services, housekeeping, construction, clinical health management and many more. All companies are nationwide and offer an array of opportunities that only large, multi-million dollar corporations can. While preregistering for the event is preferred, participants may register at the time of and during the event. -vfw-