Expo provides job opportunities for military men and women

By Liz Gonzalez

Brian Sloan, of Sonoma, was in the Air Force for 20 years. He began his service in 1988 and retired May 2009.

Now 42 years old, Sloan has not had much luck finding employment in the past year, which is why he attended the RecruitMilitary Opportunity Expo at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Thursday in hopes of finally landing a stable job.

It is the only job fair in the country specifically for military men and women. RecruitMilitary holds anywhere from 60 to 100 expos year-round throughout the country.

“We have teams that reach out to veterans and to the servicemen and women transitioning out of the military,” said Jason Williams, director of events and national accounts. “They help them craft a strategy for employment.”

Capella University, State Farm Insurance, Lockheed Martin, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Veterans Business Outreach Center were among the 30 exhibitors that set up booths, drawing about 200 military men and women seeking job opportunities.

Lawrence Lab had positions available in finance, administration, engineering, and technology. By the end of the day, it had a thick stack of resumes to take back and evaluate in a process that will take a few months.

“We like hiring our veterans,” said Rita McLean, senior recruiter at the lab. “They have leadership skills. They are team players. They learn certain skills that we could use, which is a key part of what we are looking for.”

State Farm Insurance was recruiting for new agents. They were looking for people who want to own their own insurance business.

“We find a lot of good candidates in the military,” said Devyne Jones, California agency recruiter for State Farm. “A lot of them are very driven. They have great management skills, and they are involved in their community. So we found that it is a great partnership.”

Tess Crockett, an education outreach specialist for Capella University, was recruiting students. Capella is an online university that offers discounted tuition to veterans and those in active duty.

“We offer new career and education opportunities for them,” Crockett said.

The military also offers support to veterans looking to start their own businesses or own franchises. The expo helps veterans looking for work or new careers.

John Minerva, 25, from Pleasanton, will retire from the Marines in August after six years of service.

“I’m looking for anything right now, because I’m getting out soon,” he said. “I’m looking to present my leadership and management skills. And also the discipline and hard work we learn.”