This post originally appeared on the MinnesotaWorks.net blog

More than 1,000 former and current members of the U.S. military connected with employers at the Minnesota Veterans Career Fair held in Brooklyn Center on Tuesday.

Veterans met with approximately 130 businesses with current job openings. There were a wide variety of businesses represented with job vacancies in diverse fields. Exhibitors included private companies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, service providers and government agencies. Recruiters accepted resumes and directed job seekers to channels for applying for job vacancies.

Veterans met with approximately 130 businesses with current job openings. There were a wide variety of businesses represented with job vacancies in diverse fields. Exhibitors included private companies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, service providers and government agencies. Recruiters accepted resumes and directed job seekers to channels for applying for job vacancies.

The event also offered resume critiques from DEED Veterans employment reps and other career experts that were popular among job seekers. A resource room where job seekers could meet one-on-one with human resources reps and corporate hiring managers and use computers and printers for producing hard-copy resumes was full throughout most of the day.

Some employers chose Veterans employed by their companies to represent them at this year's fair. The Veterans included Jose Chavarria, formerly a master gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marines, now a sheet metal fabricator at E.J. Ajax. He had received assistance from DEED's Veterans Employment Services and from the Dislocated Worker Program that led to his current job.

Josh Goudge, a Veteran who works in operations for Republic Services, a recycling and waste service company, was also among those recruiting job applicants, according to KSTP. He attended the 2012 career fair as a job seeker.

In addition, the career fair featured workshops about making the most of career fairs, basics of starting a business and looking for employment with the state of Minnesota.

Job seekers learned that an employee recommendation is the best way to get their resume out of that "black hole" when they apply on line. And also, job seekers shouldn't leave any military experience off their resume. It all counts.

The day opened with DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben welcoming Minnesota employers to the event. Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Commissioner Reggie Worlds and Colonel Dirk Kloss, Brigade Commander of the Minnesota Army National Guard, joined Commissioner Sieben in encouraging them to connect military service members with employment in July and throughout the year.

Sen. Al Franken gave a video message thanking employers for hiring Veterans.

The Minnesota Veterans Career Fair, organized by DEED, was held in celebration of Hire a Veteran month, proclaimed in early July by Gov. Mark Dayton. Click here to view the governor's declaration.