FORT RUCKER, Ala. (July 24, 2014) -- Thousands made their way out to the Enterprise High School Gymnasium dressed in their best interview attire with resumes in hand to hopefully impress an employer and possibly land their dream job.
The Fort Rucker Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Center and Army Community Service, in a partnership with the Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, hosted the 12th annual Fort Rucker Area Job Fair July 15 as a way to provide a central location that job seekers can go to find employment opportunities.
The fair was an opportunity for Soldiers, civilians, retirees and family members to get their name out to employers -- not only in the local areas, but companies with jobs from all over, according to Alfred Alexander, Soldier for Life transition services specialist.
Alexander said the fair was a good opportunity for people to "familiarize themselves with the companies present and to determine which companies are looking for your education level, skills and experience," as well as providing Soldiers, retirees and family members a good place to start when looking for work outside the military.
Various employers from a variety of industries were set up to provide people with opportunities in areas like food service, sales, technology and finance, and ranged in the variety of companies, from Waffle House to H&R Block, to Honda and Boeing.
Joseph Gregory, retired military, said he decided to attend the fair because the venue provides good "face time" with employers, which he feels is invaluable in the hiring process.
"Anyone can send in applications or resumes, but people are so much more than just words on a piece of paper," he said. "There's so much more to getting hired these days than a flashy resume. Regardless of your work experience, it's hard to showcase your work ethic and personality to an employer through that piece of paper. That's why I feel the face-to-face interaction is important. The employer can really gauge why type of employee you might be, and that's what I want to be able to show them."
Darrell Marsden, veteran, recently transitioned out of the military and said that competing in the job market can be tough, so events like the job fair make him feel like he can get a head start on the job hunt.
"Looking for a job, especially if you've been out of work for a while, can be intimidating and a lot of times discouraging," he said, "but you've just got to keep looking because there will be something out there for you.
"I've spoken with a few employers that have taken interest in me, and I was able to have actual conversations with them and they were able to ask me questions," he continued. "I think it helps to make an impression when you get to meet these employees in person. It doesn't just give me the chance to talk to these employers to get them to hire me, but it gives me the chance to learn more about the companies that I might be interested in, and see if they're a right fit for me and not just the other way around."
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