Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) Yokosuka hosted a job fair on U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, the largest overseas Navy installation, on Aug. 29 to assist more than 300 local job seekers.

More than 20 organizations were present at the job fair such as Amazon, Navy Federal Credit Union and University of Maryland University College.

 “The job fair is not only an opportunity to find out about real-time job openings, but is a chance to meet hiring managers and speak with them one-on-one, do research on what companies do and find out if you are a good fit with that organization,” said Marterese Ferrari, a work and family life specialist with FFSC. Ferrari, supports the community through the center’s Family Employment Readiness Program and assists military spouses, Department of Defense civilian spouses, retirees, soon-to-be separatees and veterans in navigating the employment landscape.

Dressed in their business best, many attendees were excited to learn about the opportunities available to them at the event.

“I’m definitely interested to see what’s out there so that I know how to cater my resume in the future and what kinds of things I would be interested in doing," said Kathleen Mindick, a Navy spouse.

Some job seekers made finding a job their full-time job.

“I spent countless hours on USAJobs prior to coming [to Yokosuka],”Sharee Lyne, a Navy spouse said about her employment journey. “I wake up every day and encourage myself. I knew it was going to be competitive. I knew there were obstacles”.

Like Lyne, many military spouses struggle to find employment due to the demanding nature and constraints of their active duty spouse’s work. Spouses of service members stationed abroad are uniquely disadvantaged, as language and cultural barriers are thrown into the mix.

Fortunately, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, like many installations, supports spouse employment through events such as job fairs, resume and employment workshops and classes on how to run a home business.  

“Sometimes we are our own barrier when seeking employment. We give up too easily—either on ourselves or the job market. When you are ready to commit to finding a job, stick with it. Job opportunities can be cyclical, just like the seasons, the job market is ever changing. Patience is key. There are more job opportunities than generally thought. You just need to know where to find them and that is where I come in,” said Ferrari who spends much of her time polishing resumes and referring job seekers to employment resources.

Sarah Buchholz, a Navy spouse, received a job offer the morning of the job fair. Buchholz, who has been volunteering with Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society during her search for paid employment explained the key role that connection made.

“I actually found out about Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at a job fair within the first week or so that I arrived in Japan…this was the type of volunteer experience that would actually benefit me in my search for paid employment,” she said.

Buchholz attributed her new job offer largely to the volunteer work she had done and the connections she made in the community.

“It feels like it’s really come full circle. I’ve accepted a position and now I’m able to take what I’ve learned from all the trial and error that I’ve personally experienced and say ‘yes, this is worth your time’”, she said. She also spoke on the importance of supporting others who are seeking employment and letting them know about job opportunities. “Advocate for others because it will come back to you.”

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