Supporting Service Members with Career Counseling for a Major Retail Chain

Supporting Service Members with Career Counseling for a Major Retail Chain

Supporting Service Members with Career Counseling for a Major Retail Chain

A major multinational retail chain partnered with PeopleScout to support its counseling program for transitioning members of the military, veterans, military spouses, and National Guard and Reserves who are looking to take the next step in their career.

Dedicated career coaches for all program participants

Customizable career paths for participants 

Virtual intake meetings and ongoing calls

Situation

This retailer has partnered with PeopleScout since 2013 to support its veteran hiring initiatives. In 2013 when the program launched, veteran unemployment was higher than civilian unemployment. PeopleScout supported the client with direct placement, helping veterans honorably discharged on or after Memorial Day 2013 to find jobs at the retailer. The spouse component was added in 2018.

In 2019, while the veteran unemployment rate had dropped to just under 3%, the retailer was aware of the challenges that military service members were still facing when transitioning to civilian employment. The client wanted to reinvent the program to put an emphasis on career coaching and counseling for all service members to help them apply their leadership skills and teamwork experience to new careers.

Solution

The new program, which officially launched in May 2021, broadens the umbrella of the program to include veterans of any era and actively serving members of all branches of the military, military spouses, and National Guard and Reserves as well. It connects program participants to a plethora of resources from various organizations that have been vetted by the client.

When a new member registers for the program, PeopleScout assigns them a coach who helps facilitate the transition into civilian work. The PeopleScout coach schedules a virtual coaching session with the participant to perform an initial intake. This intake assesses skills, helps identify goals and determines the time commitment they can make to the program.

From there, participants confirm three paths: employment, education, or entrepreneurship.

EMPLOYMENT

PeopleScout career counselors help participants assess their strengths, build their resume and translate their military experience in a way that it applies to the civilian workplace. They also help service members and spouses find opportunities that match their career goals—whether that means employment with the retail client or another organization.

EDUCATION

PeopleScout coaches help participants get the educational foundation they need to reach their overall career goals.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PeopleScout helps connect participants with the right resources to start their own businesses.

This emphasis on career counseling allows the participant to drive the program at their own pace and use their coach as much or as little as they like. Service members and spouses can take what they want from the program as they build their future.

Results

  • 3,500+ registrants since program launch

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Multinational retailer
  • INDUSTRY
    Retail
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Talent Advisory
  • ABOUT THE RETAILER
    This U.S.-based retailer operates in 24 countries with 2.3 million employees. The organization has a rich history of supporting and hiring veterans and their spouses.

Building an Effective Veteran Hiring Program

Building an Effective Veteran Hiring Program

If you want to hire veterans, you can’t just wait and hope it happens. Veterans won’t apply through your one-size-fits all careers page. Their skills and experience don’t fit into a standard application. And if veterans do apply, do you have a team that can understand the military language? Can you translate their achievements and place that veteran in the best position for their skill set?

In this ebook, Best Practices for Hiring Veterans, you’ll learn:

  • The most important and effective steps to take when creating a veteran hiring program
  • The veteran hiring landscape
  • The unique challenges veterans face as they transition into the civilian workforce

McKesson: High-Volume Veteran-Focused Hiring Solution

McKesson: High-Volume Veteran-Focused Hiring Solution

Life Sciences RPO

McKesson: High-Volume Veteran-Focused Hiring Solution

As one of the world’s largest life sciences and healthcare companies, McKesson required a high-volume hiring solution to fill positions across multiple departments. PeopleScout delivered an RPO solution with a special emphasis on boosting diversity and the client’s veteran hiring initiatives.

10 + Year Partnership
95 % of All Requisitions Have Diverse Candidates
8 % Over 8% Veteran Hiring Achieved, Up from 3.3%

McKesson has engaged with PeopleScout for 10 years. Over the course of our partnership, PeopleScout has managed hiring for a variety of positions including professional, managerial, sales, finance and administrative roles. PeopleScout’s engagement includes a specific focus on hiring veterans in all positions to support McKesson’s goal to become known as a top employer for veterans and military spouses.

Solution

VETERAN TALENT COMMUNITY

PeopleScout created a Veteran Talent Community which provides McKesson with access to thousands of active and passive veteran job candidates and opens the door to additional job opportunities for veterans.

IMPROVED WEB DESIGN

PeopleScout helped to administer a customized McKesson veteran careers webpage to attract and process veteran candidates.

RECRUITMENT MARKETING

Veteran-targeted marketing and sourcing strategies were developed including improving relationships with more than 800 military organizations, posting jobs on veteran job boards and social media marketing.

ONGOING TRAINING

PeopleScout provides ongoing training and education for members of the recruiting team to ensure military resumes are matched with civilian job requirements.

SCREENING PROCESSES

A veteran priority screening process was created to identify and prioritize veteran candidates.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

PeopleScout hired a Navy veteran to lead the D&I initiative on the recruiting team.

Results

HIRING SUPPORT

In 2019, PeopleScout managed more than 3,000 hires across North America.

DIVERSITY IMPROVEMENT

PeopleScout provides a diverse slate of candidates on 95% of all requisitions.

INCREASED VETERAN HIRING

Veteran hiring improved from 3.3% to 8.6%.

STRONGER EMPLOYER BRAND

Targeted veteran recruitment and marketing strengthens McKesson’s veteran employment brand, resulting in McKesson being recognized as a leader in veteran hiring by national media outlets.

McKesson’s Veteran Talent Community, veteran landing page and recruitment marketing strategy are supported by PeopleScout’s proprietary talent technology, Affinix.

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    McKesson Corporation
  • INDUSTRY
    Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Talent Advisory, Affinix
  • ANNUAL HIRES
    3,000
  • ABOUT MCKESSON
    McKesson Corporation is a diversified life sciences and healthcare services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients everywhere. The organizaiton partners with biopharma companies, care providers, pharmacies, manufacturers, governments and others to deliver insights, products and services to help make quality care more accessible and affordable.

A Dynamic IT Recruiting Solution to Support Growth and Improve Candidate Experience

A Dynamic IT Recruiting Solution to Support Growth and Improve Candidate Experience

RPO Recruiting for IT Professionals

A Dynamic IT Recruiting Solution to Support Growth and Improve Candidate Experience

PeopleScout partnered with this healthcare revenue and payment cycle management company to provide RPO recruiting solutions for niche IT roles.

3,000 + Annual Hire in IT Roles
40 % Reduction in Time-to-Hire
Tech-Enhanced Candidate Experience Powered by Affinix™
Tech-Enhanced Candidate Experience Powered by Affinix™

A healthcare revenue and payment cycle management company needed an RPO partner to support the rapid growth that occurred when it acquired a healthcare IT business. Healthcare IT is a niche field with a limited number of candidates and many hard-to-fill positions. To meet its new workforce demands, the client engaged PeopleScout to implement a full-cycle RPO program for both exempt and non-exempt hiring. In addition, they partnered with PeopleScout to provide additional support to their internal talent acquisition teams in areas where hiring volume increased through our Recruiter On-Demand (ROD) solution. 

Situation

The client requires a scalable RPO solution that is flexible enough to navigate hiring spikes throughout the year and to access talent in the niche healthcare IT field. PeopleScout’s RPO program spans high-level technology roles as well as HR, finance, marketing, sales, legal, customer service and sourcing for executive-level candidates. Due to COVID-19, the client also required a new digital interviewing platform to create a consistent experience for candidates as they move through the hiring process.

Solution

Solution Highlights

  • Full-Cycle, Exempt and Non-Exempt Hiring  
  • 3,000+ Annual Hires 
  • Recruitment of Hard-to-Fill Roles 
  • Dedicated Veteran Hiring Resources  
  • Tech-Enhanced Candidate Experience Powered by Affinix™ 

SOURCING FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES

The client leverages PeopleScout’s experience and expertise to source executive-level candidates to fill key leadership roles. 

SOURCING FOR NICHE ROLES

PeopleScout’s expert recruiters work with the client to identify qualified candidates in the competitive healthcare technology talent landscape. 

EMPLOYER BRANDING

PeopleScout’s RPO teams consult with the client to craft precise employer branding messaging and a social media strategy to attract talent for hard-to-fill open positions. 

ATS IMPLEMENTATION

PeopleScout assisted the client in the implementation of a single ATS platform to decrease redundancy and recruiting errors and create a pipeline of better-quality candidates. 

IMPROVED CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE 

PeopleScout implemented Affinix digital interviewing technology to ensure a consistent experience for candidates as they move through the hiring process.  

EMBEDDED RECRUITMENT SUPPORT

PeopleScout recruiters are embedded within the client’s organization and work with their internal teams to navigate sourcing, screening and hiring challenges to improve talent acquisition outcomes for all positions in scope. 

DIVERSITY & VETERAN HIRING

To support the client’s commitment to diversity and veteran recruiting, PeopleScout has a specialized focus and dedicated resources in this area. 

IMPROVED METRICS

PeopleScout’s RPO team provides the client’s leadership with full transparency by monitoring and reporting on metrics important to them including time-to-fill, candidate quality and the speed of the recruiting program.

Results

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

PeopleScout has improved the client’s recruitment performance by merging people, process and technology to enhance the experience with the recruitment process for candidates, recruiters and hiring managers. Average days to offer accept dropped from 62 days to 37 days for exempt positions, and from 40 days to 22 days for non-exempt, below the client’s target goal of 50 and 40, respectively.

INSIGHTS & EXPERTISE

The client values the input and insights provided by PeopleScout’s experienced RPO team and their ability to quickly source and hire candidates for hard-to-fill positions.

ACQUISITION SUPPORT  

The client has successfully navigated the challenges presented by its acquisition of the previous client’s healthcare IT business with the support of PeopleScout talent acquisition professionals. 

EXPANDED TALENT POOL

PeopleScout’s RPO solution has expanded the client’s talent pool and now sources veteran and diverse candidates more efficiently. 

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Healthcare revenue and payment cycle management company
  • INDUSTRY
    Healthcare Technology
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Affinix
  • ANNUAL HIRES
    3,000+ IT roles

PeopleScout Veteran Stories: Norman Folson

peoplescout veteran stories norman folson

Norman Folson served in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years. He joined right after the Korean War, serving in Vietnam and at Thule Air Base, just 947 miles from the North Pole. He flew President Lyndon Johnson’s presidential vehicles, and he also flew fallen service members home from Vietnam. During the last five years of his service, he worked as a recruiter for the Air Force in Detroit.

Then, Norman spent 20 years as the Assistant State Director for Veterans Services for the Department of Michigan Veterans of Foreign Wars before retiring a second time. Because retirement doesn’t stick for Norman, he got a job with Aon and joined PeopleScout when his division was acquired.

Now, at 83-years-old, Norman works on the TSA assessments team. A member of the Detroit chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, VFW and Disabled American Veterans, Norman says he’s still at PeopleScout because he loves working. Since recruiting for the Air Force, every job he’s had has been about people. With PeopleScout, he gets to meet a lot of people and make a difference in their lives. In the years he’s been at PeopleScout, Norman has also helped guide other service members through the transition to civilian work.

“Helping these guys and girls means something because you can see them down the line — being successful whether they stick with the job we recruit them for or move to another job,” he says. “We give them a start.”

As for retirement, Norman says he keeps trying it, and at some point, he’ll get it right.

Providing a Scalable Solution to Boost Recruiting Capabilities

Providing a Scalable Solution to Boost Recruiting Capabilities

RPO Recruiting for Financial Services

Providing a Scalable Solution to Boost Recruiting Capabilities

A major national financial institution approached PeopleScout to supplement its internal recruiting functions. PeopleScout’s RPO solution provides the client with the scalability and flexibility it needs during high and low-volume hiring periods.

200 Scaling up to 200 recruiters to meet fluctuating demand.
90 % of SLAs met
Dedicated military veteran hiring resources
Dedicated military veteran hiring resources

Scope and Scale

Positions in scope cover a mix of specialist and volume roles including tellers, personal bankers, IT, risk, compliance, audit, finance, mortgage, wealth management and call center representatives.

Situation

The client enlisted PeopleScout as an overflow RPO solution to handle cyclical hiring alongside its in-house recruitment teams in specific lines of business. PeopleScout supports the client with full-cycle RPO, including post-offer acceptance and pre-hire compliance checks. PeopleScout works with the client’s internal recruiters to support the sourcing and screening of candidates and to provide administrative support.

Solution

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

  • Scalable full-cycle support for cyclical hiring needs
  • Consultative support and market intelligence
  • Innovative sourcing solutions
  • Dedicated military hiring resources
  • Project scope expanded

SCALABLE RECRUITING RESOURCES

PeopleScout’s team scales according to the client’s needs, fluctuating in size from approximately 90 members to over 200, helping manage costs while ensuring hiring demands are met.

FULL-CYCLE SUPPORT

PeopleScout acts as full-cycle recruiters, executing each phase of the recruitment process from identifying quality candidates to on-boarding new hires.

A CONSULTATIVE APPROACH

We provide the client with consultative services including market intelligence and innovative sourcing solutions.

Results

8,000 ANNUAL HIRES

Facilitate an average of 8,000 hires per year.

ADAPTED TO CLIENT PROCESSES

Successfully navigate the client’s complex processes and company hiring practices.

EXCEEDED CLASS HIRING GOALS

Exceed the goal for 90% of new hires starting on the same day, as part of a class.

MILITARY HIRING

Help the client achieve annual military hiring goals, dedicating two PeopleScout team members solely to military hiring.

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Meet 90% of SLAs over the course of the engagement.

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Major national financial institution
  • INDUSTRY
    Financial Services
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Recruitment Process Outsourcing
  • ANNUAL HIRES
    8,000

2018 In Review: PeopleScout Thought Leadership

Throughout 2018, we’ve written about some of the biggest trends in talent acquisition and workforce management. As we head into 2019, we’re looking back on some of the most important topics of the past year.

RPO, MSP and Total Workforce Solutions

Total Workforce Solutions in Practice
Drivers and Benefits of Total Workforce Solutions
Four MSP Trends to Make your Program More Effective
Hospitality Staffing: RPO and Hospitality, a Perfect Blend
Positive Global Economic Growth and Its Impact on Talent Acquisition
The Value of Globalizing your Recruitment Strategy
A look into the Gig Economy
Contingent Employment Arrangements: The Implications of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey
The Contingent Workforce Landscape: Trends and Strategies
Considerations When Sourcing Talent Globally
Expanding the Talent Landscape by Recruiting Virtual Employees
How the Skills of the Future will Impact Enterprise Recruitment Teams
How to Create a Workforce Equipped with the Skills of the Future
Wages and Recruitment: The Pressure is Building
Prospects for the Class of 2018
Changing Workforce Demographics: Aging Talent

Candidate Experience

How to Improve Your Candidate Experience
How to Create and Provide a Positive Candidate Experience
Four Factors Impacting the Way Employers Interact with Candidates
How (And Why) to Effectively Recruit Recent Graduates
Removing Barriers to Employment for the Long-Term Unemployed
Through the Grapevine: How to Create and Manage an Employee Referral Program
Rethinking Candidate Generation Strategies
Employee Retention: Combating Turnover
Ghosting in the Workplace
Strategies for Building an Effective Talent Community
The Long-Term Unemployed: Your Untapped Talent Pool

Healthcare HR

Healthcare Workforce and Recruiting Trends to Watch
Six Things to Expect from your Prospective Healthcare RPO Partner
Paging All Doctors: Effective Physician Recruiting Strategies and Tactics
Rural Healthcare: How to Recruit and Attract Clinical Talent in Rural Areas
How to Use Pre-Employment Assessments and Testing in Healthcare Recruiting
Leveraging Recruitment Marketing to Attract Healthcare Talent
Healthcare HR Technology To-Do List
Healthcare Recruiters: How Technology is Improving Healthcare Recruiting
How To: Sourcing Healthcare Workers
Healthcare Recruiting Lexicon
Medical Staffing: How to Engage and Retain Healthcare Workers
Recruiting a Traveling Nurse: What You Need to Know
Healthcare Workforce Planning: What You Need to Know
Finding the Right RPO Provider for Your Healthcare Staffing Needs
Six Tips for Healthcare Recruiting
Talking Talent Podcast: Navigating the Talent Acquisition Challenges of a Major Hospital Expansion
Talking Talent Podcast: How HR Technology Can Combat Staffing Shortages in Healthcare
Talking Talent Podcast: Addressing the Workforce Gap in Nursing
Talking Talent Podcast: How RPO Can Solve the Top Challenges in Healthcare Talent Acquisition
Ebook: How RPO Can Solve the Top Challenges in Healthcare Talent Acquisition
Ebook: Healthcare Recruiting Lexicon

Technology

Reducing Unconscious Bias with AI
How to Leverage Workforce Analytics in Workforce Planning
Virtual Reality: Enhancing the Candidate Experience
Workforce Planning: Leveraging Workforce Analytics for Deeper Insights
How Robotic Process Automation is Reshaping Recruiting
Predictive Analytics: A Powerful Talent Acquisition Tool
How to Use Chatbots to Improve Recruiting
Talking Talent Podcast: Using Robotic Process Automation to Streamline Recruiting Processes
Talking Talent Podcast: Using Predictive Analytics to Hire Best Talent Faster
Talking Talent Podcast: How HR Technology Can Combat Staffing Shortages in Healthcare
Ebook: Using Chatbots to Improve Recruiting

Talking Talent with PeopleScout, our Podcast

How Many Requisitions Should a Recruiter Carry?
How Employers Can Learn to Translate Military Resumes and Hire More Veterans
Addressing the Workforce Gap in Nursing
How RPO Can Solve the Top Challenges in Healthcare Talent Acquisition
Using Robotic Process Automation to Streamline Recruiting Processes
Using Predictive Analytics to Hire Best Talent Faster
Navigating the Talent Acquisition Challenges of a Major Hospital Expansion
How HR Technology Can Combat Staffing Shortages in Healthcare

Military and Veteran Hiring

Military Spouses: How to Hire the Overlooked Talent Pool
Building a Veteran Onboarding Program
Talking Talent Podcast: How Employers Can Learn to Translate Military Resumes and Hire More Veterans
Ebook: Best Practices for Hiring Veterans

Ebooks and Whitepapers

Best Practices for Hiring Veterans
How RPO Can Solve the Top Challenges in Healthcare Talent Acquisition
Using Chatbots to Improve Recruiting

Compliance Corner

Washington State’s Paid Medical and Family Leave Program
Sexual Harassment
Department of Labor Office of Compliance Initiatives
California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018
Ban the Box Update
Arbitration Agreements
Worker Classification in the Gig Economy
Salary History Update
CAN-SPAM, CASL and More
GDPR
HR Compliance Trends for 2018

Talking Talent: How Employers Can Learn to Translate Military Resumes and Hire More Veterans

In this special Veterans Day edition of Talking Talent, we’re talking about how employers can learn to understand and translate military resumes to hire more veterans.

In the last five to 10 years, employers have made strides in veteran hiring. However, there is still a lot of work to be done when it comes to retaining veteran hires. According to a survey by VetAdvisors, 80 percent of veterans leave their first civilian job within the first two years. Employers can help decrease that number by working to place veterans in the right job the first time around. One major component of that is being able to understand a veteran’s skill set and how it translates to civilian work.

Joining us is Carl Vickers, PeopleScout’s Global Veteran Strategy lead. Carl served in the U.S. Air Force during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom as an Aerospace Ground Equipment Technician.

Carl has been with PeopleScout for almost six years. He has been focused on veteran recruitment for more than seven years. He also serves as a Military Liaison with the ESGR (Employer Support of Guard and Reserve) for the State of Indiana.

Carl has been featured in several publications and was a contributing author of a veteran-focused book on employment called “An American Crisis – Veterans Unemployment” which received numerous awards including Top 10 Business Books for 2014 and Top 100 for Amazon. He is also the Editor of PeopleScout’s Military Transition blog – Veteran’s Corner, which provides insight from the professionals on resume development, interviewing skills, as well as networking and many other employment and career-focused articles written entirely by former military and military spouses.

Carl explains specific steps employers can take to help bridge the gap in understanding between military and civilian resumes including best practices for building a training program for civilian employees and who should receive that training. Carl also shares the veteran hiring strategies employed by PeopleScout.

You can access the resources Carl mentions in the podcast here:

You can also learn more in our ebook, Best Practices for Hiring Veterans, updated for 2018. In the book, you’ll learn the most important and effective steps to take when creating a veteran hiring program. We dig deep into the veteran hiring landscape, so you can understand the unique challenges veterans face as they transition into the civilian workforce.

Military Spouses: How to Hire the Overlooked Talent Pool

While a strong focus on veteran hiring has significantly lowered the unemployment rate of U.S. veterans, many employers are now starting to focus on another challenge. Military spouses still have a difficult time finding employment that matches their skill sets.

According to a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the unemployment rate for military spouses has hovered around 20 to 25 percent over the last decade. This means that military families are more likely than average to rely on a single income.

As employers work to support the military, the focus should now shift to the entire military family. While many employers have built robust veteran hiring programs, military spouse hiring programs struggle to gain traction despite the help and stability employment can provide for military families. By focusing on military spouse employment, organizations have the opportunity to not only support the military but also hire strong employees. In this article, we will dig into the demographics of who military spouses are, the challenges they face and how employers can hire and retain these valuable workers.

Who are Military Spouses?

In order to effectively recruit military spouses, it’s important to understand who they are. Military spouses form a diverse group with a variety of backgrounds and skill sets, but there are some commonalities.

They’re Overwhelming Young and Female but not Exclusively

A White House report on Military Spouses in the Labor Market shows that 92 percent of military spouses are female, and the average age is 33-years-old. The average American working age is 41-years-old.

This means average military spouses are within their prime working years. While the population is mostly female, employers should also recognize that male military spouses face many of the same challenges as female military spouses, but often lack support groups or feel overlooked.

They May be Veterans Themselves

According to the White House report, 12 percent of military spouses are active duty military themselves. Male military spouses are much more likely to be veterans. Nearly half of all married female active duty military members are in dual-military marriages.

They are Highly Skilled and Highly Educated

Military spouses are more likely to hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree than the general population. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study, 34 percent have a college degree and 15 percent have a postgraduate degree. In the general population, according to census data, those numbers are 32.5 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

They Often have Children but not Always

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study finds that 41 percent of military spouses have dependent children, and more than 70 percent of those children are 7-years-old or younger.

Having young children in the home can increase the pressure on military spouses to find flexible work, but military spouses without children can also benefit from flexible work arrangements.

They Manage Stress Effectively and Work Well Under Pressure

Because of the pressures associated with being a military spouse, including frequent moves, managing change and running a household through a deployment, military spouses learn to effectively manage stress and deal well with pressure.

According to Military.com, military spouses are quick learners, committed to service, adaptable and they bring a diverse set of skills. Military spouses pick up these skills dealing with the high stress of the military lifestyle, including managing and adjusting to frequent moves and taking on extra responsibilities and stress during a deployment. These traits often make them strong employees.

The Challenges Faced by Military Spouses

The issues faced by military spouses have broad implications. Finding work and managing a career is one of the top stressors for military families, just behind deployments and moving away from friends and families.

That stress plays a significant role in a veteran’s decision to leave the military, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study, and impacts the military’s readiness and ability to recruit.

Increased Difficulty Finding Work

When searching for a job, military spouses say the most frequent issue they face is that employers don’t want to hire them out of fear that they will move. They also struggle explaining gaps in their resume and often need a more flexible schedule while their spouse is deployed.

Because of these challenges, about a quarter of military spouses say it has taken them more than a year to find a job after a move and many work part-time or seasonal jobs or work more than one job when they want permanent, full-time employment.

Need for a Flexible Work Environment

Military spouses may move frequently. In the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study, more than half of the military spouses surveyed report having moved more than 50 miles three times due to their spouse’s military career.

Additionally, more than 80 percent of military spouses have experienced a deployment during their spouse’s career. A deployment, especially for a family with children, can be disruptive to work life and make it more difficult for a military spouse to maintain a strict schedule. Because of this, positions that allow for remote work or flexible hours are ideal for military spouses.

Underemployment

When military spouses find employment, about 70 percent report that the job does not take full advantage of their work experience and education. Nearly two-thirds of military spouses say they have taken a decrease in pay or responsibilities in their current role.

Most military spouses with post-secondary education say that the military lifestyle does not support career opportunities for both spouses.

Best Practices for Recruiting and Retaining Military Spouse Employees

Identify Ideal Positions for Military Spouses

Because of the unique pressures faced by military spouses, organizations should determine if any positions would be an ideal fit for a military spouse or if any adaptations can be made to help a position fit better with the military lifestyle. Flexible working hours and the ability to work remotely should be considered.

Set Hiring Manager and Recruiter Expectations

Military spouses may have long resume gaps or short tenures at previous jobs. They may also have taken positions outside their area of expertise or made lateral career moves. Organizations should educate recruiters and hiring managers and set reasonable expectations. These factors alone should not disqualify a military spouse candidate.

Find Military Spouses Where They Are

Organizations looking to hire military spouses should post to job boards that target military families and partner with military advocacy organizations. A variety of national and local veteran organizations have job boards specifically targeted to military spouses. Employers should research to determine which are most often used in areas they are targeting. While job posts targeting veterans should use language that reflects their military experiences, military spouses have a wide range of experience and expertise. Because of this, employers don’t need to use military-specific language, but highlighting job benefits that are appealing to military spouses and stating a commitment to hiring military spouses can be beneficial.

Establish an Affinity Group for Veteran Spouses

Hiring a military spouse is just the first step. Much like veteran affinity groups, a military spouse affinity group can help new employees feel welcomed. An affinity group is a voluntary, employee-driven group of people with a common interest or goal. An affinity group is an opportunity for military spouses across a workplace to connect and support each other and help with the stress and pressures of being in a military family.

Focus on Retention Through Life Transitions

Because of the military lifestyle, a military spouse may need to relocate to follow their partner or adjust work hours to take care of their family if their partner deploys. In order to retain strong military spouse employees, organizations should determine what types of adjustments can be made to retain these employees through times of personal change – including remote work, temporarily reduced hours or a flexible schedule. This can increase employee engagement and help the military family through transitions.

Find a Partner with Experience Hiring Military Spouses

Organizations without experience hiring military spouses should consider turning to an RPO partner with experience hiring veterans and military spouses. RPO providers can bring their strong connections with partners like Hiring our Heroes and share their expertise in veteran and military spouse hiring.

Military Training – It Matters

From the time you signed the blank check to the military you have been going through training. At times it seemed like non-stop and repetitive, while at other times it was very challenging. It does not matter which branch you served in, the training was ALWAYS mandatory. Like me, at times you’ve asked yourself this question; “Is this really necessary?” I can tell you now, that not all of that training was in vain!

When it comes to your transition, remember that you’ve transitioned before, from a civilian to a military service member. This isn’t the first time you have had to make a change. This time, however, there is a difference. You have been trained to handle any situation, any time, and any condition. This time, however, you need to let others know that you are trained to do so. You have skills and experience that can ONLY be acquired in the military, through intensive training given in such a way that enables you to retain this in even the most stressful of situations.

Employers need to know this and want to understand what you do, what you have done and what you are capable of doing. This is an action that you need to commit to, it’s time to train the hiring managers! You are empowered to step forward to change the mindset of the hiring managers and you can do so by inviting them to view your training records. These are more valuable than references and really shows the actions you have taken to better yourself and your career. These are official and certified and will go a long way in educating a hiring manager as to what you have specifically DONE. These training documents contain all of the OJT specifics that college graduates do not bring to the table.

On the bottom of most resumes you will invariably find the words, “references by request”. Why should you not include the statement, “Military Training Records upon request”? Many employers may view your resume and look over the past positions you have held at various locations and certainly will see your leadership abilities. However, many of them will find themselves asking the question, “What did they DO?” Training records alleviate a lot of confusion as it spells out specifics in relation to what you are capable of, these are the TRUE skills you bring to the table and these are the very things the hiring manager wants to know if you can and are able to perform.

When applying for positions online, feel free to upload a PDF version of your training documents in addition to your resume and other pertinent documents as it relates to the position. Ensure that you blackout information such as your SS# due to privacy concerns. This may also assist with keyword searches, tags, and filters that many recruiters use to search for candidates thus increasing your chances of being contacted for an interview. Do not miss the opportunity to discuss your training record with the recruiter, this will help him or her understand your abilities and give them a much easier picture to paint for the hiring manager about you.

In summary, you have the training needed to handle anything that is thrown at you. You are fully capable of turning years of training and experience into action during your transition, help the recruiter to understand your skills, to see your skills in a way that will enable them to “sell” you to the hiring manager. Once the right fit comes along, you will be able to put those words on paper into action.