The Importance of Putting Veterans to Work

Each Veteran’s Day, parades, events, and ceremonies take place around the nation to honor our brave military veterans and thank them for their service. However, amid the celebrations, some veterans struggle to navigate new career paths once their service time comes to an end. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in 2012 for Gulf War-era II veterans was 9.9 percent, compared to nonveterans at 7.9 percent. The good news is this number has improved in the years since, with the unemployment rate in 2016 among Gulf War-era II veterans dropping to 5.1 percent compared to nonveterans at 4.7 percent.

Perhaps some efforts taking place across the Allegis Group network of specialized staffing and recruiting companies have something to do with such progress. For example, several of our companies work closely with veterans and employers alike, serving as a liaison to our nation’s heroes as they enter the civilian workforce.

Our company Aerotek, which offers staffing and recruitment services for technical, professional, and industrial positions in virtually every major industry, believes veterans represent a ready-made pool of hard-working, qualified talent who bring both technical and leadership skills to the workforce. And, they have plenty of advice to help veterans sell their capabilities and identify potential employers, including how to emphasize teamwork, survival skills, attitude, and grit. According to Aerotek’s recent blog post, organizations should harness a talent pipeline that actively seeks out former military members to fill open job roles with competent and disciplined workers as well as provide opportunities for veterans.

In another example, our company TEKsystems is a recognized Military Friendly Employer for its policies aimed at hiring military talent. The company, which provides IT services and talent solutions, including staffing, managed, project-based, and outsourced services, has a growing partnership with The Pat Tillman Foundation, which supports the advancement of education and business opportunities for veterans and their spouses. With strong ties to the veteran community, TEKsystems not only provides scholarship funding but also participates in a number of activities, including Pat’s Run, wherein employees run side-by-side with scholars and other veterans to commemorate the legacy of Pat Tillman, who put an NFL career on hold to serve his county.

TEKsystems also works with employers to help them understand how their organizations can benefit from hiring veterans. Among the known benefits are driving diverse and inclusive workplaces, and employing people with critical thinking skills and a strong work ethic who are great under pressure. TEKsystems says employers can game-plan a successful veteran recruitment strategy by understanding what veterans are thinking, using current veterans and spouses in the recruiting process, and demonstrating the culture and camaraderie shared among a veteran’s potential, future coworkers.

Finally, GettingHired, an Allegis Group company, is a recruitment solution dedicated to helping inclusive employers hire professional individuals with disabilities. It also provides resources to help veteran job seekers with disabilities find gainful employment. Read about the pride GettingHired feels for the November 11 holiday in an article detailing the history of Veteran’s Day and how it can be a catalyst for change in recruitment.

At Allegis Group, our ultimate goal is to help organizations attain the highest levels of excellence in their talent strategies and for individuals to reach their personal and professional goals. And, matching veterans to suitable opportunities is a crucial component to reaching these goals. So, to all of the veterans out there and those currently serving, thank you for your service.

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