Why do civillian employers not want to hire Combat Veterans

2013-12-24T18:57:41-05:00

I've sent out over a hundred resumes and I only received 1 interview and still didn't get the job. It's like they think we're crazed killers that can't work with regular people.

Response by SPC(P) Nathan Stewart made Dec 24 at 2013 6:58 PM

2013-12-24T18:58:33-05:00

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Response by SSG Laureano Pabon made Dec 24 at 2013 10:33 PM

2013-12-24T22:33:28-05:00

SPC S. Same thing happened to me, I was under the impression that perhaps they thought I was a trained killer, fact was it was my resume, no one knew I was in the military, until they asked me. Later I knew the real reason why.

My resume and qualifications for the position. My experience, and how many positions were open and how many people I had to battle with to get the job. I use battle because it was a competition when you are 1 of 20 people looking to work in one opening. I personally don't think civilians look at you as a crazy killer, these same civilians were supporting you all the way through the war. They are thankful.

Adjust your resume if you have one SN Henry posted some websites that will help with that.

Thank you for your Service SPC S.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Dec 24 at 2013 10:44 PM

2013-12-24T22:44:21-05:00

Nathan,

Obviously I don't know about your specific situation, but unfortunately your general situation is not uncommon across the larger private sector. Not sure if it would make you feel any better about things, but it's normal for non-veterans (let alone non combat veterans) to also experience the same challenges you are having in finding employment. I only say this to hopefully encourage you, and to let you know that there is probably nothing you can't overcome.

I see you are in the National Guard, which has a significant unemployment/underemployment problem across the country. You are definitely not alone. One thing to try is to reach out to veterans in companies you are interested in, and see if they can help you through the process. They can't guarantee anything, but their advice and insight can often make the difference.

I am also certain that there are many veteran business owners who are looking to hire other veterans. Please update the RallyPoint community if you can, with how things go for you, and best of luck! Don't give up hope.

Response by SPC(P) Nathan Stewart made Dec 25 at 2013 11:27 PM

2013-12-25T23:27:33-05:00

Thanks for all the info guys it's really appreciated. I'm currently in the initial stages with a large PD that loves VETS so hopefully I'll pass everything and be in the academy in a few months. One of the huge problems is that my combat deployments were with British Army, I tried to get a job at the VA and they told me to get a degree or deploy with the guard and when I get back I can have a job. civilian employers see things on the news and on ty and are scared that we can't function in the real world.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2013 11:56 PM

2013-12-25T23:56:15-05:00

SPC Stewart, it's especially hard across the board, not just combat-Vets. There a few companies I know personally, that that's all the want to hire, are our Vets. Sending you a connection request so that I may offer additional assistance, if you'd like.

Thanks,

SSG B

Response by Capt Kevin Kinkade made Dec 26 at 2013 12:56 AM

2013-12-26T00:56:41-05:00

I would argue, that some companies do not want to hire veterans, but there is also a large movement to hire veterans -- but you need to be smart about how you target these companies, and avoid wasting time on the companies which are not interested.

It is very discouraging to apply blindly online -- most online portals are tedious, and generally result in automated responses -- very difficult to get noticed by a robot which performs a key word search when your resume is dominated by military specific accomplishments.

You can supplement your efforts with the shotgun method but don't feel surprised or discouraged when you continue to receive "no thank you responses" for the next several months.

Instead, reach out to actual people... how? ... start with Google... research top companies in your desired geographic location. Search for HR managers (sometimes email addresses will be on company web sites), dominate social media, reach out to specific RallyPoint members who have successfully transitioned, try LinkedIn (they offer free 24 month premium accounts for servicemembers if you email their help desk -- a huge savings) -- enter search criteria such as XYZ company and XYZ military unit -- find someone with common ground with you and shoot them an email -- attach your resume. 90% of the time employees have nothing to lose by passing your resume to an HR representative.... most likely they will even receive a bonus if you are hired.

Be friendly and dress the part. Networking happens in real life too. Strike up conversations at bars, on airplanes, at the gym - you never know. Work on your pitch, seem enthusiastic about the transition -- even if you left the military for negative reasons.. always speak positively about what you learned and gained and now have to offer a new company.

Tailor your resume... don't be lazy about it. Let more than one person review it and offer recommendations. Resume writing is also discouraging because EVERYONE has a different opinion about what you should or should not say... but it takes work to present yourself well. Cut out the military jargon, translate your accomplishments into something that a civilian employer would understand, and tailor each resume draft to whichever specific job you are applying for. There is no point in applying if you are too lazy to tailor your resume for a position. Emphasize traits which are specific to the position.... EXAMPLE... if you are applying for a job focusing in engineering.... you may not have an engeering degree... but you may still be able to write... "undergraduate studies included Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Calculus I-III" ... also, don't be the guy who says,... I already let so-and-so review my resume... don't assume that means it is good. Most of the time when I review a resume, it takes me 2-3 versions to eliminate the glaring mistakes and start to critically think about ways to refine the resume.

In summary,

1. Talk to actual people, waste less time filling out online applications.

2. Don't be lazy with your resume, it matters.

3. Don't get discouraged, "hiring veterans" is definitely "in" right now -- just not all companies are on the same page, just change your approach in order to find the companies that are seeking vets.

Response by SFC Charles Bennett made Dec 26 at 2013 8:56 PM

2013-12-26T20:56:43-05:00

Good Evening,

Thanks for everyone input, I believe with everyone’s insight
and our own personal experiences, we can overcome most obstacle we face as
veterans.

I wanted to reach out to the group in order to get some
input on an issue that I always seemed to face during interviews with
prospective employers.

My resume detailed a lot of experience however, due to
multiple tours as a National Guardsman; it also exposed a lot of instability in
my employment history.

I never seemed to be able to articulate the balance of my
professional (civilian) accomplishments versus my desire to serve my country as
a soldier. How do I present the benefits
of leaving a position that mirrors my targeted civilian profession in order to fulfill
a military obligation?

Most of the time, I would leave the interview feeling
that I gave the impression that I had an unstable work history. Therefore, a less than desirable candidate.

Response by SFC Doug Lee made Jul 13 at 2014 9:40 AM

2014-07-13T09:40:46-04:00

I understand your frustration Nathan. What's frustrating to me is that I offer Veterans a very good opportunity to go into business for themselves, partnering with extremely popular brands, with very low start up cost (under $200), but the problem is most people vets included are stuck in the employee mindset.

Response by PFC Stephens Clark made Oct 16 at 2014 9:51 AM

2014-10-16T09:51:40-04:00

The People today Do not appreciate Veterans, like they used to.