Military job fair held in Raleigh
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Hundreds of military veterans and their spouses are hoping to get hired after a free career fair expo Thursday.
More than 40 local and national companies set up booths inside Vaughn Towers at Carter-Finley Stadium to recruit employees and offer jobs immediately to people with military backgrounds.
Ohio-based RecruitMilitary plans to hold more than 100 similar job fairs across the country in 2015.
"We have, on average about 100 to 110 on-the-spot job offers or at least candidates that walk away with a job offer," said RecruitMilitary event coordinator Chris Newsome.
The civilian workforce hasn't been so welcoming to William Sexton. After 23 years of military service, finding a decent paying job has not been easy. Sexton works full-time and picks up temp jobs when he can to put food on the table.
"The toughest have been my expectations. Thinking I was going to come in and make the same money than I was whenever I was in the service," said Sexton.
It is a story that is not uncommon among today's veterans, but Newsome said companies in the Triangle want to hire, especially veterans.
"More companies are hip to it. They get it. They understand that veteran hiring, it just makes good business sense," said Newsome.
State Farm sales leader Mike Allen represents one of the businesses looking to recruit new employees. He said veterans who have not thought about a career in insurance sales should think again. Allen plans to hire new agents immediately.
"A lot of these folks come by here, and I listen to them, and they have a lot to offer," said Allen as he looked over a stack of resumes. "They don't realize how bad we want them."
RecruitMilitary plans to hold another career fair for veterans in Raleigh on Aug. 6.
