A short while ago, I invited the military community to provide their feedback, thoughts, and ideas on some of the looks we were considering for the next generation of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) website.  I want to personally thank all of you who provided your candid and thoughtful input.

We posted mockups of what could be the home page of the new website and then asked for your comments.  Your feedback was invaluable, and we will incorporate your suggestions in the design as we finalize the website in preparation for its launch in early 2012.

Beyond the new look and feel, I’m excited to tell you that the site will have enhanced functionality, including the ability to search jobs by zip code and to search for telecommuting jobs.  The site will also feature a resume builder function and provide you with tailored email alerts when you are matched to a job posting.  You will be able to build your profile by including your education and experience, and your job matches can be based on this information as well.

It’s hard to believe that MSEP is only six months old.  In that brief time, we’ve brought the number of employer partners to nearly 100.  These include Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, non-profits, academia and government, and there are more on the way.  As of today, there are nearly 60,000 jobs listed on the existing MSEPjobs.com, and since June 2010, more than 10,400 spouses have found employment through the MSEP program.

With your help, we will build on this momentum as we move into 2012 to make MSEP an even more effective tool in empowering our military spouses to find jobs and career opportunities.

Also, I am pleased to inform you that MSEP is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to host a free Military Spouse Career Forum and Hiring Fair.  The event will be January 13, 2012, in Washington, D.C.  Military spouses may register here and upload a resume when registering.

National and local employers with open positions will be present and will conduct interviews on-site.  This will be the nation’s largest career fair dedicated exclusively to military spouses. The Military Spouse Career Forum and Hiring Fair will be co-hosted by NBC4, NBC News, Joining Forces and HandsOn Greater DC Cares.  Registration for this event closes Jan. 10, 2012, so please register and reserve your spot today.

Thanks to our partnership with the Chamber, we are on our way to ensuring all military spouses who desire to work can find stable and meaningful employment.

All the best to you and yours for a safe, happy, and healthy New Year.  Until next time, be well!