Traditional job fairs serve a necessary niche for veterans that can easily commute to events or don’t have access to technology. However, virtual job fairs provide a way for disabled vets to get in touch with employers, participate in interviews and learn about veterans benefits from the comfort of their own homes.

Veteran Recruiting Services and ON24 announced a joint effort to help dozens of veterans with service-related disabilities find work. The two groups will host a virtual job fair on October 31 from 1 to 4 p.m. EST. Veterans need to sign up online at http://www.veteranrecruiting.com/.

The fair will provide vets with the opportunity to explore available jobs from top employers. Each employer will operate a virtual booth that veterans will be able to browse. At each booth, vets can learn about company policies, engage in live chats with recruiters, learn about veterans benefits and consider whether or not the company would be a good fit for their individual backgrounds. Virtual booths will be set up by numerous well-known employers, including Amtrak, Lowe’s, Waste Management, Medtronic, Exelon, Intuit, Xerox Business Services, the U.S. Department of Treasury and ManTech. Only veterans with service-related disabilities will be eligible to attend the event.

U.S. President Barack Obama has proclaimed October National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

“We are proud to support this by hosting the first virtual career fair for veterans with service related disabilities,” Kevin O’Brien, managing partner at Veteran Recruiting Services, said in a statement. “Through our virtual recruitment center, employers and veterans are able to connect in real time without the cost, burden, or environmental impact typically associated with more traditional recruiting events.”

So far, similar virtual job fairs have helped more than 12,000 disabled vets find high-quality jobs. Veteran employment prospects have certainly been improving: In September 2012, veterans from all war eras and of both sexes faced an unemployment rate of just 6.7 percent, compared with a national unemployment rate of 7.8 percent.

Despite many optimistic signs, unemployment remains a problem for veterans – especially disabled veterans.

“Despite an improving employment outlook overall, unemployment remains high for military veterans, particularly for those with a service-related disability,” said Denise Persson, chief marketing officer of ON24, said. “With the Virtual Career Fair for Veterans with Disabilities, we are applying the reliability, scalability and reach of our Platform 10 technology, along with our extensive experience implementing virtual career fairs, toward the goal of matching the talented men and women coming out of the armed forces with careers in the industries of their choice.”

Veterans need to sign up at http://www.veteranrecruiting.com/.