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Bay Area Job Fair Connects Veterans And Employers

SAN JOSE (KCBS)—Veterans, active-duty military personnel and their spouses had an opportunity to meet employers face to face at special job fair in San Jose on Thursday.

The Hiring Our Heroes job fair was held at the American Legion Willow Glen Post 318 in San Jose where more 30 employers participated.

"What we have learned is that when you put a veteran in the same space as an employer, who has jobs, you can connect the two, The employer wants to hire that veteran because of the built in skill sets and leadership that they have," Matt Giobbi, the event's coordinator, said.

Bay Area Job Fair Connects Veterans And Employers

Attending employers included a number of Bay Area police departments and companies like PG&E, and Verizon. While some already know the benefits of hiring a veteran, some Giobbi said were there to "test the waters" to see what the can get.

James McKinstry, of SAP, said many military skills were transferable to civilian jobs.

"A lot of the same things that we all look for: Problem solvers, passion for learning, team player. Those are all the same jobs you could do in the military that you can do in civilian life," he said.

Walter Caltrow, a 30-year veteran, agreed.

"A veteran knows how to show up on time, knows how to take direction and knows how to see a job to the end of its completion," he said.

Since 2011, Hiring Our Heroes has been able to help more than 100,000 veterans and their spouses find employment.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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