Step 1:

Employer Readiness

Employers need to ask themselves two key questions:

Why do we want to hire veterans?
Why would veterans want to work here?

The answers to these questions will help employers plan their activities before actively recruiting veterans.

Best Practices for

All Employers

Champion and provide advocacy and outward support for workforce readiness alignment and balance of your workforce in all employment programs

Meet with leaders/hiring managers and walk them through the importance of readiness workforce alignment and how it serves as the foundation to the workforce and employment initiatives like the veteran employment program

Develop close working relationships with talent placement agencies

Best Practices for

Veterans

Ensure leadership, at all levels, understands the business case for hiring veterans and how it supports employer readiness.
Be willing to support, champion and provide advocacy for the veteran employment program.
Ensure company website appeals to veteran talent.
Find an executive-level sponsor to advocate for veteran employment.
Publicly pledge your support to veteran employment.

Questions to Ask

Do we have a close working relationship with talent placement agencies?
Is there advocacy for a veteran employment program?
Do our leaders and hiring managers understand the importance of workforce readiness alignment?
Did our website attract veteran talent?
Do we have a dedicated point of contact for federal, state and non-profit military organizations that can recruit veteran candidates?
Do position responsibilities have a clear purpose and align with our organization’s goals?

Resources

These suggested resources are available at no cost:

Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, White Paper, Workforce Readiness Alignment: The Relationship Between Job Preferences, Retention, and Earnings
Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, White Paper, Revisiting the Business Case For Hiring a Veteran
Building and Sustaining A Veteran-Informed Culture: A Guide for HR Professionals
PsychArmor Institute, Video, 15 Things Veterans Want You To Know
PsychArmor Institute, Video, Best Practices for Employers Support of National Guard and Reserve Members
PsychArmor Institute, Video, Military Lingo and Discharges: Discharges
Veteran Jobs Mission Employer Start Up Guide
USAA Employer Roadmap, Action Plan: Empower
USAA Employer Roadmap, Action Plan: Prepare
USAA Hiring Veterans and Military Spouses, A Workbook for Employers

BUSINESS CASE STUDY:

COCA-COLA

ATTRIBUTES:

  • Workforce Alignment
  • Recognized military-friendly organization
  • Demonstrated appreciation for service to the nation

Since 2014, Coca-Cola has joined forces with American Corporate Partners (ACP) to provide more than 280 career mentorships to veterans transitioning into the private sector.

Paired based on mutual occupational interests, Coca-Cola offers veterans outside of the company professional development advice as well as networking and resume building tools. Army Veteran Lillian Norton, who has worked at Coca-Cola since 2013, now serves as one of the company’s ACP mentors. The senior commercialization manager is thrilled to support her fellow veterans, recalling her own challenging transition finding a civilian career path after graduate school.

Reference: A Corporate Transition: Coca-Cola Associates Mentor Military Vets, May 24, 2018

Thank You to Our Corporate Partner