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Employers Are Targeting U.S. Veterans for Hiring
ST. LOUIS (PRNewswire), September 13, 2009 - Re-entering the workforce in today's job market can be a daunting task, especially for those returning from military service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Earlier this year, the Labor Department reported an 11.2 percent jobless rate for Gulf War veterans over 18 years old, 4 percentage points higher than the previous year. A new survey from CareerBuilder is offering some encouraging news with 41 percent of employers reporting they have hired U.S. veterans or members of the National Guard in the last six months. One-in-five (21 percent) are actively recruiting veterans and members of the National Guard for open positions today.
The top positions employers say they are targeting U.S. service men and women for jobs including information technology, engineering, management and sales.
Employers Offer Advice to Job Seekers Coming Off of Active Duty
In the survey, employers offered insights into why it can be more difficult for veterans and National Guard members to find employment even though there are opportunities out there for them. One of the greatest challenges employers reported in hiring veterans is understanding how their military skills translate to civilian positions. Employers recommend that candidates clearly spell out their military responsibilities and how they are applicable to the position at hand in their resume, cover letter and interview.
Employers also said it can be hard to identify veterans because they don't always include that status on their resumes. In fact, 11 percent of veterans said they don't include their military experience when applying for positions, while 12 percent said they do so selectively. This can work to a candidate's disadvantage as 43 percent of employers stated that if they had two equally-qualified candidates, they are more likely to hire the person with military experience. Others did not have a preference either way.
Hiring managers recommend that veterans and National Guard members put a greater emphasis on marketing their military skills and accomplishments. They identified the following attributes associated with military personnel as critical to emphasize in the job search process:
-- Disciplined approach to work (68 percent)
-- Ability to work as part of a team (63 percent)
-- Respect and integrity (57 percent)
-- Leadership (50 percent)
-- Problem-solving skills (46 percent)
-- Ability to perform under pressure (44 percent)
-- Communication skills (37 percent)
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