2023
VETERANS
IN THE
WORKPLACE >>>>>>>>>> Understanding the Challenges and Setting the Conditions for Long-Term Success
powered by
HIRING OUR HEROES
PROJECT PARTNERS >>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Since 2011, Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) has worked to create meaningful employment opportunities for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. Leveraging a broad array of private and public sector partners, as well as our extensive network of businesses, we provide our nation’s heroes with the right tools, resources, and connections to get the job done. Through world-class hiring events, digital programs, upskilling opportunities, and fellowships we have developed and cultivated a rich pipeline of military connected talent. HOH works closely with the American business community to identify best practices for recruiting, hiring, and retaining veterans and military spouses. HOH’s Employer Roadmap (EmployerRoadmap.org) delivers a range of articles and guides to educate and empower businesses as they build 21st century workforces.
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Indeed allows job seekers to search millions of jobs in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. Almost 3.5 million employers use Indeed to find and hire new employees. More than 350M+ unique visitors use Indeed each month to search for jobs, post resumes, research companies and more. Indeed strives to put job seekers first, giving them free access to search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies. Every day, we connect millions of people to new opportunities.
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> This research was conducted with assistance by David K. Sherman and W. Connor Gibbs, who are members of the Duke Veteran Transitions Research Lab (VTRL). The VTRL was created to conduct, inspire, and communicate transformative research that seeks to illuminate the unique challenges military veterans face when transitioning to the civilian workforce.
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HIRING OUR HEROES
FOREWORD >>>>>>>>>>
In our collective effort to understand and address the distinctive needs of military-connected job seekers, this meaningful research endeavor with our partner, Hiring Our Heroes, marks a significant milestone. The findings contained within the report contribute to a deeper understanding of the needs and preferences of job seekers with military experience and reinforce Indeed’s ongoing commitment to close the gap between talent and opportunity. We’re proud to support organizations as they embrace and tap into this underutilized pool of diverse talent. The data in this report underscores a key finding: a hiring commitment like this doesn’t end with a successful hire—employers must continuously work to retain and empower talent from this community. Indeed is there to support both job seekers and employers throughout the process–from equipping job seekers with the resources to find their next role to educating employers on thoughtful strategies to drive retention. Misty Gaither Vice President, Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging Indeed
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INTRODUCTION >>>>>>>>>>
The impact of these efforts on unemployment has been sweeping. In little more than a decade, the overall veteran unemployment rate has dropped from 8.3% in 20111 to just 3.1% in 20222. The most recent generation of veterans has benefited the most from this change: over the same period, the unemployment rate for all post-9/11 veterans dropped from 12.1% in 2011 to just 3.4% in 2022. The most staggering change, though, is seen in the unemployment rates for the youngest veterans – those between the ages of 18 and 24 experienced an unemployment rate of 8.4% in 2023, down from 30.2% in 2011.
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
The unemployment landscape for veterans has changed significantly over the last decade. Robust public and private sector efforts have combined to improve transition outcomes and help more veterans find meaningful employment. From hiring events to online resources to various government tools and programs, veterans have a host of resources available to help them segue into the right civilian career.
Veterans’ skills and experience as well as their intersectionality with other top recruiting targets such as women, college graduates, and people of color mean veterans remain a key recruiting target for organizations. As such, potential employers wrestle with new veteran employment questions, such as how best to attract veteran talent and how to retain veteran employees and empower them to be successful. Identifying and quantifying veterans’ transition and job searching experiences is critical to the long-term success of veterans and the businesses that hire them. Armed with the right information, businesses can better recruit, hire, and retain veterans in their workforce.
1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment Situation of Veterans – 2011.” Accessed October 2023 from: https://www.bls.gov/ news.release/archives/vet_03202012.htm 2 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment Situation of Veterans – 2022.” Accessed October 2023 from: https://www.bls.gov/ news.release/pdf/vet.pdf
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METHODOLOGY >>>>>>>>>>
This section describes the data collection process and methodology that underpin this report. This research used a predominantly quantitative approach by conducting an online survey of veterans and transitioning service members, as well as recruiters and hiring managers. Qualitative data was also collected through open-ended questions within the survey instrument.
HIRING OUR HEROES
The results from this research project are based on responses to an online survey of 5,365 veterans and transitioning service members conducted between September 21 and October 17, 2023. A second online survey was conducted between September 21 and October 23, 2023, and received 275 responses from recruiters and hiring managers. This survey instrument was designed with assistance from members of the Veteran Transitions Research Lab. In total, the veteran survey included 57 items/ questions, 3 of which were demographic questions and 2 of which were open ended questions. This survey was administered using Typeform survey software. Participation in the survey was voluntary and responses were confidential. Some questions were only available to specific respondents based on a survey branching. Except for questions necessary for eligibility and branching purposes, all remaining questions allowed respondents to skip the question. Those responses were excluded from the analysis. Data was analyzed using quantitative descriptive methodology. Content analysis was used to identify key themes from the open-ended questions. Recruiting was through social media and email using Hiring Our Heroes’ international network. A $100 Amazon.com gift card was offered through a lottery as an incentive to promote veterans and transitioning service members taking the survey. No incentive was provided to employer respondents. Since many of our respondents are active-duty service members and veterans looking for professional career services, our survey sample overrepresents senior enlisted service members and officers. Additional sampling bias may exist. For this reason, these survey results are not meant to represent the broader population of veterans and transitioning service members and are not to be generalized to describe every veteran’s experience.
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VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
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HIRING OUR HEROES
KEY FINDINGS >>>>>>>>>>
To bridge the gap between employers and their veteran workforces, Hiring Our Heroes partnered with Indeed to survey more than 5,000 veterans and service members and 275 human resources professionals and hiring managers to learn more about their experiences, challenges, and triumphs. • Veteran respondents identified two top challenges in their transition to civilian life: the difficulty of finding job opportunities that align with their skill set and adapting to the civilian workplace culture. These themes emerge again when examining respondents’ workplace culture priorities, such as working for organizations that understand the alignment of military experience and civilian careers as well as those that offer onboarding programs to familiarize new hires with organizational culture. • Veteran respondents are leaning into technology-based solutions when job hunting, with much less emphasis placed on leveraging personal networks. In a recruiting model that relies on referrals and personal connections, this potential mismatch may keep veteran candidates from connecting with organizations’ open roles, especially in light of employer respondents’ indication that the top challenge to veteran recruitment is finding the desired volume of veteran candidates.
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VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
• Veteran job seekers are frequently encountering organizations branded as “military ready” or “military friendly,” and how those organizations meet veterans’ expectations around those terms has significant consequences on recruitment and retention. Key differences in perceptions of “military ready” organizations between the two groups underscore findings around top identified challenges while simultaneously providing a roadmap for organizations to strengthen veteran recruiting and retention practices. • Veteran and employer respondents similarly perceive veterans’ strengths and the value they bring to organizations, but respondents varied considerably in their perception of the types of roles and environments in which veterans thrive. Examining this variability can allow veterans and recruiters to challenge stereotypes and encourage both groups to widen the aperture of potential roles for these candidates.
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VETERAN RESPONDENT SAMPLE
DEMOGRAPHICS >>>>>>>>>> 43.7%
PAY GRADE
Veterans - 76% Active Duty - 18% Guard/Reserve - 5%
28.3%
SERVICE STATUS
8.6%
6.9%
10.6%
2.0%
HIRING OUR HEROES
E1-E4
E5-E7
E8-E9
.04%
W1-W5 O1-O3
O4-O6
O7+
DURATION OF SERVICE BRANCH 43.8%
20.8%
18.3% 1.4%
11.3%
4.2%
More than 10 years
10 years or less
47.1%
52.9%
0.4%
EMPLOYER RESPONDENT PROFILE 11.4% 44.3% Full-time recruiter or talent acquisition specialist
21.8%
ROLE
Primary role isn’t hiring, but a leader for hiring candidates within the business Business owner/hiring manager HR generalist
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22.5%
Other/prefer not to say - 1%
EDUCATION
Female - 26%
High School or equivalent Some college
33.3%
28.9%
Associate degree Bachelor’s degree Masters/Professional degree or higher
GENDER
19.1% 13.5%
5.1%
Male - 73%
RACE/ETHNICITY
AGE
66.1%
Asian - 5%
24.1%
Hispanic/Latino - 15% Native American/Native Alaskan - 1%
9.6%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander - 1%
< 29
30-39
42
AVG. AGE
40+
2 or more races - 6% White - 54%
38%
12.9 AVG. YEARS OF SERVICE
89.3%
BUSINESS SIZE
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
Black/African American - 17%
of current service members surveyed anticipate leaving service in the next year plan to leave service in the next 5 years
MILITARY AFFILIATION multiple selections permitted
52.2%
Large enterprise (1,500+ employees)
Veteran - 49.6% None - 27.4% Military/veteran spouse - 17.8%
Small business (<100 employees)
21.5%
26.3%
Medium-size business (100-1,500 employees)
Guard/Reserve member - 3% Other military family member - 11.5%
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KEY FINDING 1: TRANSITION EMPLOYMENT PRIORITIES >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
Understanding the post-military employment landscape is essential to understanding veteran transition. As they leave the military, veteran/service members respondents are overwhelmingly looking for work – 77% reported seeking full-time employment during their transition, though it is important to note that respondents were drawn from Hiring Our Heroes engagements and likely overrepresent job seeking veterans. However, with an average of 200,000 service members transitioning out of the military annually3, these veteran job seekers represent a substantial talent pool with a strong drive to find opportunity in the civilian workforce. Upskilling was the second most commonly reported transition plan among all respondents, with 12% or respondents planning to pursue education following transition. Just 4% are planning to start a business. When examining the preferences of junior enlisted service members (E-5 and below), a slightly more nuanced picture emerges. While the majority still gravitate towards full-time employment (70%), this group is nearly twice as likely to consider pursuing education, with 19% expressing interest in further schooling. In this post-pandemic era, veterans appear to be considering employment opportunities holistically. Compensation remains a key consideration, with nearly two-thirds of veteran respondents selecting it as a most important employment consideration. However, it’s noteworthy that work-life balance was selected nearly as often (59%), suggesting a strong emphasis on quality of life. Furthermore, the desire for remote or hybrid work options was noted by 33% of veteran respondents, while 26% expressed a keen interest in growth and promotion potential. As organizations seek to recruit veteran talent, tailoring their outreach efforts to address the evolving priorities of veterans can ensure that they remain competitive and appealing to veterans seeking meaningful and balanced careers in the civilian workforce. Post-Transition Plans, all respondents
75.9%
Full-time employment
11.8%
Pursue education Start my own business
4.3%
Part-time employment
3.6%
Retire-take some time off
3.3%
Other
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1.2%
3 U.S. Department of Labor, “Transition Assistance Program.” Accessed October 2023 from: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/tap
Post-Transition Plans, E1-E5 vs. E6 and above E1-E5
E6+
Full-time employment
70.1%
84.4%
Pursue education
19.1%
4.0%
Part-time employment
3.8%
3.1%
Start my own business
5.2%
3.6%
Retire/take some time off
1.9%
4.9%
Top Employment Considerations multiple selections permitted
64.5%
Compensation
33.3%
Remote/hybrid work opportunities
26.1%
Growth/promotion potential Health care benefits
18.6%
Cultural fit
17%
Retirement benefits
15.3%
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
58.5%
Work-life balance
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KEY FINDING 2: PERCEIVED CHALLENGES >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
Asked to identify the most challenging aspect of transitioning to civilian life, veteran respondents consistently identified two significant areas: skills use and cultural adjustment. The top challenge, cited by 40% of veteran respondents, was difficulty in “finding job opportunities that match my skill set.” Translating military experience into a civilian resume was a related challenge, identified by 17% of respondents. Additionally, adapting to the civilian workplace culture was cited by 25% of veteran respondents. These transition challenges shed light on the need for tailored support and resources to facilitate a smoother integration for veterans into the civilian workforce.
Which aspect of transitioning to a civilian job did you find most challenging? Top responses Finding job opportunities that match my skillset
39.6%
Adjusting to civilian workplace culture
24.8%
Translating military experience to a civilian resume Overcoming misconceptions about veterans Navigating job interviews without using military jargon
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17.4% 9.1% 4.5%
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
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KEY FINDING 3: WORKPLACE CULTURE PRIORITIES >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
When ranking the most important aspects of an organization’s workplace culture, veteran respondents’ priorities closely mirror their top transition challenges. Veteran respondents indicated that they highly value working for organizations that understand how their military experience translates into civilian roles, which is closely tied to the top reported challenge of finding jobs that match their skillset. Veteran respondents placed equally significant importance on onboarding programming for new hires, which echoes the reported challenge of adapting to civilian workplace culture and highlights veteran respondents’ focus on understanding their new civilian workplace environment.
Which aspect of an organization’s workplace culture are most important to you? Offers onboarding programming for new hires Understands how military experience translates to civilian jobs Public commitment to hiring veterans Veterans among the organization’s leaders Mentoring programs for newly hired veteran employees Offers specific onboarding programming for newly hired veterans Offers volunteer or service opportunities to allow employees to give back to local communities Offers affinity groups Offers specific programs to support Guard/ Reserve employees 0
0.5
average score
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1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
KEY FINDING 4: EXPERIENCE WITH “MILITARY READY” ORGANIZATIONS >>>>>>>>>>
Many organizations today are branded as “military ready” or “military friendly” to attract veteran talent; 45% of respondents reported having experience with organizations identifying as “military ready” or “military friendly,” either as an employee (27%) or as a candidate (18%).
Conversely, 22% of respondents reported that the organization failed to meet their expectations around “military readiness,” and organizations’ failure to meet these expectations has negative consequences for both groups. For those employed at organizations that fell short of “military ready” expectations, 42% chose to leave and another 35% considered leaving the organization. Among candidates, 44% opted not to move forward with their applications and another 27% considered not moving forward.
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
Meeting veterans’ expectations around these designations yields significant positive impacts for both the organization and the veteran. Respondents’ expectations were met 53% of the time, and when expectations were met, it fostered a stronger commitment to the organization: 75% of employees at “military ready” organizations were more committed to staying, and 81% of candidates were more committed to joining the organization.
Understanding and meeting veteran expectations in this context is vital for these organizations seeking to foster successful connections with this talent pool as well as successfully retain veteran employees. Impact of Military Ready Expectations Expectations not met
Expectations met
Candidates Employees 100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
chose not to move forward
more committed to joining the org
considered not moving forward
more committed to staying at the org
chose to leave the org considered leaving the org
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KEY FINDING 5: EXPECTATIONS FOR “MILITARY READY” ORGANIZATIONS >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
Looking more closely at the expectations for organizations branded or recognized as “military ready,” there is considerable parity between veterans’ and HR professionals/ hiring managers’ top expectations around that term. Both groups cite a public commitment to hiring veterans, recruiters and hiring managers who understand military resumes, and organizational leaders who are veterans as key expectations.
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However, some notable perceptional differences exist between the two groups. Veteran respondents were seven times more likely to anticipate a “military ready” organization to offer volunteer or service opportunities for employees (54.2% vs 7.5%), highlighting a notable gap in expectations around workplace culture. Similarly, veteran respondents were two to three times more likely to anticipate “military ready” organizations offering mentoring programs with non-veteran or veteran mentors than employer respondents.
Veteran vs. Employer Expectations for “Military Ready” Organizations
30%
Public commitment to hiring veterans
36.9% 49.6%
Recruiters/hiring managers understand military resumes
27.4%
39.2% 57.9%
Veterans among organization’s leaders
28.6%
33.3% 42.5%
29.3% 37.2%
The hiring process indicates military experience is preferred Volunteer or service opportunities for employees
26.1% 7.5%
28.1%
27.7%
26.2%
16.5%
*
25.1% 32.3%
Offers affinity groups/ERGs for veterans
25%
Veteran-specific onboarding programs
23.9% 9.4%
24.5%
Specific Guard/Reserve support programs
20.5% 12.8%
24.3%
Mentoring programs with non-veteran mentors
20.1% 16.5%*
18.1%
10%
30%
0%
Expected by veterans
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
Mentoring programs with veteran mentors
30.1%
20%
40%
Definitely expected by veterans
50%
60%
70%
80%
Expected by employers
*Responses did not distinguish between veteran and non-veteran mentors
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KEY FINDING 6: TECHNOLOGY OVER PERSONAL NETWORKING >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
Among veteran/service member job seekers in our sample of respondents, technology appears to take precedence over professional networks when it comes to job searching, with 83% of respondents indicating that online job sites and boards are among their top three job search resources. Nearly half of respondents (47%) also rely on job fairs as a top resource during their job search, while 41% tap into their online social networks for opportunities. When it comes to personal networks, just 28% of veterans rely on them while job searching. Conversely, employer respondents’ top reported challenge to recruiting veterans was limited access to veteran candidates, suggesting a lack of alignment in veteran job seeker and organization behaviors around recruitment. Organizations working to recruit veteran talent, then, can benefit from tailoring job postings to showcase their understanding of the value of military service as well as leveraging transition and military hiring events to build connections with veteran candidates.
Where do veterans look for job listings/apply for jobs? multiple selections permitted
83.3%
Online job sites/boards
46.7%
Job fairs (in-person or online)
40.5%
Online social network
35.3%
Personal network Recruiters
28.1%
Visit jobs sites in person
20
14%
Temp agencies
8%
Local newspaper
5.1%
Other
3.5%
What challenges, if any, does your organization face in recruiting veterans? multiple selections permitted Limited access to veteran candidates
36.6%
Difficulty translating military experience to civilian roles
33.6%
Lack of dedicated resources or programs for veteran recruitment
26.9%
None
26.9%
Uncertainty about the value veterans bring Other
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
EMPLOYER RESPONSE
7.5% 11.9%
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KEY FINDING 7: PERCEPTIONS OF VETERANS >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
The current high demand for veteran candidates, and the resulting high rate of veteran employment, is reflected in veteran respondents’ perceptions of how their military service is viewed while job searching. This reflects a significant positive shift: reports of negative bias and misperception declined in comparison to data collected over the last decade. Overall, veteran respondents indicated that workplace perceptions of military service were generally thought to be positive or neutral, an encouraging change. In 2016, nearly half (49%) of veterans reported negative or mostly negative bias in the workplace4. Here, when asked about the impact of disclosing their military service, only 6.1% reported that disclosing their military experience has negatively impacted their professional opportunities, while another 16.1% reported a mix of positive and negative impacts. In contrast, nearly a third (30.4%) reported that disclosing their military service had a positive effect on their job search, and nearly as many (28%) believed the impact of disclosing service was neutral.
How has disclosing your military experience on your resume or during an interview affected your job search or professional opportunities? Positively. Disclosing my military experience often opens up more opportunities to positive discussions
30.4%
Neutral. Disclosing my military experience doesn’t seem to make a difference one way or another
28%
I can’t determine the impact of disclosing my military experience has had on my opportunities
17.4%
Varied. Disclosing my military experience has sometimes led to misconceptions or missed opportunities
16.1%
Negatively. Disclosing my military experience has sometimes led to misconceptions or missed opportunities I prefer not to mention my military experience unless specifically asked
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6.1%
2.1%
4 Hiring Our Heroes, “Veterans in the Workplace – 2016.” Accessed October 2023 from https://www.hiringourheroes.org/resources/veterans-in-the-workplace-2016/
Both veteran and HR/hiring manager respondents credited veterans’ military service with developing “soft skills” that positively impacted their professional opportunities, reporting similar perceptions of veterans’ top intangible skills. Leadership, adaptability, teamwork, and discipline were reported by both respondent groups as those most commonly associated with veterans. Veterans’ Intangible Skills multiple selections permitted
Employer Responses
Leadership
54.3%
63.4%
Adaptability
53.6%
43.0%
Teamwork
38.1%
49.4%
Discipline
37.1%
51.7%
Problem-solving
30.9%
18.5%
Integrity
13.3%
23.4%
Communication
12.4%
4.2%
Stress management
12.1%
11.7%
Time management
8.9%
8.7%
Resilience
8.2%
10.0%
The two groups diverged, though, on the type of work environment in which they believed veterans thrived, with veterans slightly more likely to say they would thrive in a flexible/varied environment that emphasized individual tasks, while employers overwhelmingly thought veterans would thrive in a structured/predictable environment that emphasized collaborative group work.
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
Veteran Responses
This split in perceptions may underscore an opportunity for organizations working to broaden their veteran hiring efforts by recognizing that structure versus flexibility is an important dimension in which the preferences of veterans vary. Similarly, a large majority of employers believed that veterans would thrive in an environment that emphasized collaborative work over an environment that emphasizes individual tasks, whereas veterans were evenly split in their preferences. Rather than assuming that veterans have a strong preference for one type of workplace, these results indicate that providing a variety of opportunities for flexible, structured, collective and individual tasks and being attuned to these dimensions can help employers provide new paths for organizational and job fit for veteran candidates.
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Do veterans thrive in a flexible or structured environment?
Veterans thrive in a more structured/predictable environment
40.2%
48.4%
11.4% 80%
60%
40%
20%
57.1%
Veterans thrive in a more flexible/ varied environment
22.2%
I’m not sure
20.7%
0%
0%
HIRING OUR HEROES
Veteran perceptions
40%
60%
80%
Employer perceptions
Do veterans thrive with individual or collaborative tasks?
Veterans thrive in an environment that emphasizes collaborative group work
42.4%
60%
40%
15.9%
that emphasizes individual tasks
I’m not sure
11.9% 80%
65.2%
Veterans thrive in an environment
45.7%
20%
0%
18.9% 0%
Veteran perceptions
24
20%
20%
40%
60%
Employer perceptions
80%
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
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CONCLUSION & LOOKING FORWARD >>>>>>>>>>
HIRING OUR HEROES
Veterans are integral to the American workforce. Valued by many organizations for their leadership, adaptability, discipline, and teamwork, they remain a top recruiting priority for businesses across the nation.
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To attract and retain top veteran talent in a competitive marketplace, organizations must continue to take a proactive approach to veteran recruitment, refining their practices to address veterans’ primary transition challenges. These changes need not require significant investment of resources; instead, targeted actions focused on key veteran behaviors and perceptions can yield high impact. With these refinements, organizations can strengthen their efforts to be recognized as an employer of choice among veterans and, as a result, reinforce veteran candidate and employee commitment to their organization while empowering these candidates and employees to unlock long-term success. Veterans, too, must continue to proactively navigate their transition, taking advantage of the myriad programs and resources offered by public, private, and nonprofit organizations to prepare them for civilian careers. These efforts demonstrate a genuine commitment to their success and growth, benefiting the veteran and the broader workforce.
VETERANS IN THE WORKPL ACE
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