fontman
05-24-06, 10:25 AM
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, May 24, 2006
WASHINGTON - A veterans advocacy group launched a new Web site Monday specifically for job seekers with military experience and companies looking for former troops to join their ranks.
The site, www.operationheroforhire.com, features nearly 900 full-time jobs, and also gives veterans and reservists job search tips on topics such as writing a résumé and interviewing.
"These troops fought for us in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I don't want them to have to fight for a job when they get back," said Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who helped create the site. "This is really supporting our troops."
The Web site is sponsored by Quinn's Operation Homefront and CareerBuilder.com, a job search site that features more than 250,000 employers. Officials there will allow companies to post on the veterans site for free, provided they show a preference in hiring applicants with military experience.
Job seekers can review the employment listings without registering, but they also can log in and post a résumé online for employers to review.
Quinn said organizers are petitioning all of CareerBuilder.com's corporate customers to hire a veteran or reservist between Memorial Day and July 4 this year as a show of patriotism and a confirmation of their unique skills.
"These veterans are used to complex jobs, working on a team, and are known for their technical skills," he said. "Many people know about the technical skills they bring but don't appreciate how dedicated and focused these workers can be."
The new job site announcement came on the same day as a congressional forum in Michigan about the effects on veterans of job cuts in the automobile industry.
Department of Labor statistics show that young veterans - those between 20 and 24 years old - had a 16 percent unemployment rate last year, significantly higher than their nonmilitary peers.
"For whatever reason, too many of them come back from Iraq and Afghanistan and cannot find a decent job," Quinn said.
Postings already on the site list jobs in 47 states and range from entry-level construction jobs to advanced posts with biotech research firms. Quinn said organizers hope to expand the offerings in coming months.
Federal employers and most state governments already have committed to giving veterans preferential treatment in hiring for public-sector posts through the Hire Vets First campaign. More information on that initiative is available at www.hirevetsfirst.gov.
Mideast edition, Wednesday, May 24, 2006
WASHINGTON - A veterans advocacy group launched a new Web site Monday specifically for job seekers with military experience and companies looking for former troops to join their ranks.
The site, www.operationheroforhire.com, features nearly 900 full-time jobs, and also gives veterans and reservists job search tips on topics such as writing a résumé and interviewing.
"These troops fought for us in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I don't want them to have to fight for a job when they get back," said Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who helped create the site. "This is really supporting our troops."
The Web site is sponsored by Quinn's Operation Homefront and CareerBuilder.com, a job search site that features more than 250,000 employers. Officials there will allow companies to post on the veterans site for free, provided they show a preference in hiring applicants with military experience.
Job seekers can review the employment listings without registering, but they also can log in and post a résumé online for employers to review.
Quinn said organizers are petitioning all of CareerBuilder.com's corporate customers to hire a veteran or reservist between Memorial Day and July 4 this year as a show of patriotism and a confirmation of their unique skills.
"These veterans are used to complex jobs, working on a team, and are known for their technical skills," he said. "Many people know about the technical skills they bring but don't appreciate how dedicated and focused these workers can be."
The new job site announcement came on the same day as a congressional forum in Michigan about the effects on veterans of job cuts in the automobile industry.
Department of Labor statistics show that young veterans - those between 20 and 24 years old - had a 16 percent unemployment rate last year, significantly higher than their nonmilitary peers.
"For whatever reason, too many of them come back from Iraq and Afghanistan and cannot find a decent job," Quinn said.
Postings already on the site list jobs in 47 states and range from entry-level construction jobs to advanced posts with biotech research firms. Quinn said organizers hope to expand the offerings in coming months.
Federal employers and most state governments already have committed to giving veterans preferential treatment in hiring for public-sector posts through the Hire Vets First campaign. More information on that initiative is available at www.hirevetsfirst.gov.