An encouraging trend in veterans’ employment is looking even better: after reaching a seven-year low in August, the unemployment rate for veterans dropped even lower in October, to just 3.9 percent.
That’s good news!
It comes thanks to the hard work of many: veterans, employers, educators, nonprofits, and government have all worked together to improve veterans’ access to good jobs.
One great partnership example is the Joining Forces initiative, launched in 2011 by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, who called on employers and all Americans to rally around service members, veterans, and their families and support them through wellness, education, and employment opportunities. In April, Michelle Obama announced that private-sector businesses had committed to train or hire 90,000 veterans and military spouses in such high-growth fields as energy, technology, and transportation.
That’s great for employers with the resources to devote to recruiting and hiring veterans.
But what about small businesses who want to hire veterans?
Luckily, you don’t have to task your HR department with developing a national partnership to begin hiring veterans. In fact, you don’t even have to have an HR department—or even spend an extra dime. You can get started today, online, from wherever you are.
There are two simple steps to hiring a vet:
- Begin by posting your job opening on your state job bank. Follow the instructions on your state job bank website to post your job opening(s).
- Next, contact a Veterans Employment Representative at an American Job Center. Let them know you want to hire a veteran. They may ask for details of your job listing(s), and they’ll help you identify qualified veterans that best meet your needs.
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