Employment

Employment for
Family Members
(Information courtesy of ALTRES Staffing)
Although Hawaii's unemployment rate has been among the nation's lowest for several years, finding the right jobs for family members can pose a challenge. On the other hand, relocated military dependents often bring with them special skills and experience attractive to Hawaii employers.

Each branch of military service operates a Family Community Service Center, which provides employment and jobseeker support. Most branches tend to offer internal positions before referring individuals to outside sources.

In Hawaii there is a residential requirement for state employment, but not for federal jobs.

For a listing of federal jobs, including civilian openings in the service branches, consult USAJOBS, the official job site of the U.S. Federal Government. http://www.usajobs.opm.gov.

State licenses are required for certain professional and vocational occupations. Licensing is administered by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), http://www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/pvl.

The Joint Employment Management System (JEMS), a jointly funded program provided by participating military services, links qualified ­personnel with potential employers. In general, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard active duty personnel, family members, retirees and their eligible family members, and reservists (as determined by each service) are eligible to use JEMS.

On the JEMS website (http://www.jemsjobs.com) you can search for jobs, post your resume and receive notification of new jobs being posted. For more information, call (808) 473-0190.

Registering with a local employment firm, such as ALTRES Staffing, can be an excellent shortcut to both permanent and temporary employment. One application and one interview with an agency can get you considered for multiple job opportunities, including those that may not be advertised publicly.

Securing temporary employment or contract assignments through an agency can also be very helpful in learning first-hand about various employers, work environments and career opportunities in the islands. Employment agency services are free to jobseekers; the client company pays for the service when a candidate is placed successfully.

The state's largest job fairs, Job Quest and WorkForce, are held three times each year at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. Sponsored by ALTRES Staffing and presented by Success Advertising, this series of annual events puts jobseekers in direct contact with hundreds of local employers, http://www.successhi.com/jobfairs.html.

The Army Community Service's "Employment Resource" guide is a valuable resource for all military families in Hawaii, http://www.mwrarmyhawaii.com/acs/acs_documents/Employment_Resource_Guide_2007.pdf.

Dressing for Job Interviews
Business dress in Hawaii is somewhat different than in mainland locations. For men a crisp, business "aloha" shirt tucked into dress slacks with a matching belt is generally appropriate for employment interviews in Hawaii. However, a conservative dark navy, gray or charcoal two-piece business suit or conservative sports coat with a crisp, white long sleeve button-down dress shirt is also acceptable.

For women, even though "business aloha" attire is sometimes worn on the job, a skirt suit (dark navy, gray or charcoal) is recommended for most job interviews. This is safer than pants suits. Other conservative colors, such as beige or brown, are also acceptable. Skirt length should be a little below the knee and never shorter than above the knee.