5 Job-Related Resources for Vets

Finding a job can be a challenge under any circumstances. But for Gulf War-era II veterans (the name given to the group of veterans who have served since 9/11), 2020 was the toughest year yet.

“The unemployment rate … rose to 7.3% in 2020,” according to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in March. “The jobless rate for all veterans increased to 6.5% in 2020. These increases reflect the effect of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the labor market. In August 2020, 40% of Gulf War-era II veterans had a service-connected disability, compared with 26% of all veterans.”

That isn’t to say all the news was bad, however. As the entire economy faced an unemployment rate that peaked at almost 15% in April of 2020, veterans’ unemployment numbers trended lower overall than those of their civilian counterparts across all races (see the table below):

Over the last several years, many companies have rolled out programs actively seeking veteran candidates. There are many organizations that exist to make the transition from active-duty life to the civilian workforce as easy as possible. While the VA is always a great place to start, there are a host of other resources available to help veterans find work. Here are five worth checking out:

1. CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, CareerOneStop is a resource that assists with finding employment, training and financial assistance for veterans in transition. They’re also a partner in the American Job Center network.
2. Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. Syracuse University founded EBV in 2007 to help veterans develop into entrepreneurs. Since then, it has added other universities across the U.S., including Texas A&M, UCLA, University of Connecticut, Louisiana State University, Florida State University, Saint Joseph’s University and University of Missouri. It’s completely free to all who are accepted into the program.
3. Hire Heroes USA. With more than 52,000 confirmed hires, Hire Heroes USA is a proven advocate for veterans transitioning to civilian life after service. The non-profit provides free job search assistance to military members, vets and their spouses, while also working with companies across the nation to identify and fill the job opportunities in their organizations.
4. Veterati. Veterati takes an interesting approach to provide resources for veterans in transition. Veterati is an app-driven platform that connects mentors with veterans and military personnel seeking guidance as they transition to the civilian workforce. Mentees set up a profile, then choose mentors for free one-on-one mentorship sessions with as many different mentors as they like. The operating philosophy is that this effort provides much-needed guidance while also helping veterans build their networks, which is a critical component of personal professional development.
5. Recruit Military. Recruit Military publishes Search and Employ magazine — the second-largest veteran hiring publication in the U.S. — and they claim to have the “nation’s largest single-source veteran database with over one million members.” A subsidiary of Bradley Morris, Inc. which is a military staffing agency, Recruit Military and BMI work together to provide access to their veteran job-seeking database to employers, while also providing job placement and training resources to military, veterans and their spouses for free.

These are just some of the resources available to veterans in their search for meaningful post-service careers. If you’re interested in exploring additional resources for veterans, explore more here.

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