September 14, 2015
Contributed Art/U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
A female soldier speaks with a recruiter from Bank of America at a Hiring Our Heroes event in Charlotte, NC.
Veterans should have no problem at all convincing an employer to hire them – after all, they've got more than enough experience working with a team to accomplish monumental tasks in stressful environments.
Nevertheless, the unemployment rate for veterans in the post-9/11 generation is two points higher than the civilian average, says Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes.
That's why Hiring Our Heroes is holding a job fair in Philadelphia on Thursday, featuring recruiters from 45 companies like Comcast, Verizon and Lockheed Martin that want to hire veterans and their spouses.
The job fair will be held 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Southampton Road Armory at 2700 Southampton Road, with a free workshop at 8:30 a.m. that will give veterans tips on resume writing, interview skills and the job search. To attend, pre-register at hiringourheroes.org and bring proof of service.
An initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Hiring Our Heroes has held 900 job fairs since 2011 that have lead to over 27,000 veterans and spouses getting hired.
Fifty-three percent of transitioning service members end up on the unemployment rolls within 15 months of leaving the military, a VA report found. It can be challenging for vets to adjust to civilian life, and they may not know the best way to translate their military experience into terms that an employer will understand.
"Many of these young service members joined the military right out of high school so they have had less interaction with the civilian sector ... they're eager, but they come away with this completely different language sometimes," said Eversole.
Nevertheless, Eversole said that many companies are eager to hire veterans, understanding that they often have both advanced technical training and leadership experience.
"They know how to follow orders and execute," said Eversole. "They understand the importance of being dedicated to the mission and helping companies achieve ... their goals."
