2009-09-22T18:30:00Z 15 2009-07-17 The Philadelphia Inquirer - Business Section

By Stacey Burling Tony Whitehead was a man on a mission. A 23-year veteran of the Coast Guard, he came to Citizens Bank Park yesterday looking for a management job at a career fair organized by RecruitMilitary, a veteran-owned company that specializes in finding work for vets. He had plenty of competition. About 350 job hunters showed up to talk to representatives from about 40 companies. But Whitehead, who hasn't been unemployed long - he was laid off from a management job with a standby power company in May - was unconcerned. "There is opportunity in this room," he said, flashing a confident smile that set him apart from some of the grimmer candidates in the overwhelmingly male crowd around him. He was dressed in a conservative black suit, white shirt, tie, and hammer lapel pin, and he felt ready to make a good impression. His only worry was that recruiters would assume he'd be too costly. "I want to work," said the 49-year-old Laurel Springs man, who has two young children. RecruitMilitary organizes about 70 such events a year around the country, including three to four in Philadelphia. Matthew Murphy, senior vice president for sales and business development, said yesterday's crowd was about 100 more than usual and the biggest ever in Philadelphia. Employers definitely had jobs to fill, Murphy said, although "obviously the demand is not as robust as it was nine months ago." The event drew representatives from big companies like Coca Cola, Wal-Mart, Prudential, Medco, and Amtrak as well as more specialized employers that do business with the military or want people with experience in security. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans last month was 9.3 percent, about the same as the overall rate. Before the fair officially began, representatives from Freedom & Honor, a nonprofit that helps veterans transition from military to civilian life, made a pitch for hiring people with military experience. Wes Craig, a retired major general and a former Pennsylvania National Guard commander, said people learn valuable lessons in the military that translate well to other jobs, including leadership, calmness under pressure, loyalty, taking care of coworkers, and good exercise habits...

2009-09-22T18:33:32Z http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20090717_Job_recruiters_look_at_military_veterans.html