Wounded Veterans Learn Lessons on Job Search

HONOLULU, May 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First impressions can make or break a job hunt. Within minutes of sitting down with a potential employer, the interviewee must convey their confidence, competence, and cohesiveness with the organization. Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) knows meaningful employment can help injured veterans in their transition to civilian life.

WWP helps warriors in every step of the search. It starts with building a resume that catches a recruiter's eye and translating military experience into civilian expertise.

In many cases, networking plays an integral role in obtaining the interview. A WWP teammate helps connect the wounded veteran with the right company, using connections to increase the chances of getting that all-important interview.

WWP also hosts events like mock interviews with real companies. Recently, more than a dozen warriors and their family members attended an interview workshop in Honolulu. The gathering gave every attendee a chance to practice interviewing with representatives from Aerotek and TEKSystems – two staffing agencies with offices in Hawaii.

"The workshop facilitator shared valuable tools and tips during the interview process," WWP Alumnus and Army veteran Franky Hernandez said. "It is not often you get the chance to receive feedback to improve your interviewing skill."

Franky and other participants, like WWP Alumnus and Marine Corps veteran Erik Morinaga, took full advantage of the real-life opportunity.

"Proper preparation is often the best way to ensure success, but it can be hard to get repetitions for certain skills," Erik said. "Nothing I did before was as useful as the mock interviews with these professionals. They show a passion for their craft and helped improve my interview abilities. I now feel confident in my interview abilities, and am looking forward to finding the right career for me."

WWP Alumnus and Marine Corps veteran Jesus Mendoza took away an important lesson.

"They taught me to show my softer side and quit being so robotic," Jesus said. "Employers want to know how I would fit with their team."

"At a real interview, you have one shot—hit or miss—that determines if you get your dream job," Franky said. "I couldn't have paid for a better service to prepare me for interviews."

Read more about how WWP serves warriors, https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/warriors-to-work.

About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

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SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project