Veteran Recruiting

There are opportunities in place for Military vets to have reduced competition for, or be appointed to federal agency positions. Depending on the situation and the program, a veteran may have an advantage over fellow civilian, non-military job-seekers.

There are several different programs in place, and all should be reviewed and considered. We describe each of them and look at the eligibility requirements below.

Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA)

What is veterans recruitment appointment?

A VRA allows federal agencies to provide eligible veterans with employment at federal agencies as long as certain requirements are met. USAJOBS.gov, a website that assists with finding civil service jobs with federal agencies, provides the following requirements:

• are in receipt of a campaign badge for service during a war or in a campaign or expedition; OR
• are a disabled veteran, OR
• are in receipt of an Armed forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation, OR
• are a recently separated veteran (within the last 3 years), AND separated under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), you are VRA eligible.

Veterans preference eligibility

The veterans preference eligibility is an established system that helps give employment preference to military veterans for federal agency jobs. It establishes a point system, which includes an examination and previous experience, as well as other factors, to establish the score. To qualify for veteran preference eligibility, Military.com outlines the following requirements need to be considered.

• An honorable or general discharge is necessary.
• Military retirees at the rank of major, lieutenant commander, or higher are not eligible for preference unless they are disabled veterans.
• Guard and Reserve active duty for training purposes does not qualify for preference.
• When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on their application or resume. Applicants claiming a 10-point preference must complete form SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference.

Disabled Vets

Veterans with 30% or more disabled veteran authority have the opportunity to be appointed to a position at a federal agency if they meet the following eligibility requirements:

• retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more; OR
• have a rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs showing a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

Veterans recruitment appointment VRA factsheet

Veteran Recruiting Sites

Jobs for military veterans

Like civilians, military veterans should pursue any job that interests them and that they qualify for. Unlike civilians, military veterans may be uniquely qualified for specific jobs or industries based on their experience and skillset. Some military careers to consider:

• Operations Manager
• Mechanic
• Information Systems Manager
• Security Analyst
• Electrician

In our post, Military to Civilian Resume Translator, we discussed translating:

• Job Experience
• Skills and
• Military Achievements

Head on over to check it out; we provided simple approaches for each to get your civilian career going.

Veteran job boards

• Vet Jobs – offers “more than 2.4 million jobs” and indicates they have positioned themselves as “…the Leading Job Board & Job Placement Program EXCLUSIVELY for the MILITARY & VETERAN COMMUNITIES”
• HireVeterans.com – a leading job board site since 2003 that offers” Employers access to resumes and job postings so they can efficiently reach our unique visitors.”
• Google Veterans – Provides tools and resources to help transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses build their careers.

Military job fairs

• The DAV is a charity that provides lifetime support of veterans; they offer both in person and virtual job fairs
• Hiring our Heroes is a program of the US Chamber of Commerce and offers numerous opportunities for veterans, including in-person job fairs.
• The US Department of Defense, whose mission is ‘proactively supporting wounded, ill, and injured Service members in their recovery and reintegration or transition to civilian life,’ offers select events where Regional Coordinators are onsite to meet with individuals.

Veteran Job Recruiters

• Bradley Morris; one of the top tier veteran job recruiters, Bradley Morris, offers many placement and job opportunities as a trusted voice in their industry.
• Lucas Group is a full service recruiting with a military group. They help place and recruit military veterans throughout corporate America working with both employers and prospective employees.

Military job recruiters & resume writers

In addition to Bradley Morris and Lucas Group, consider these recruiters:

• Orion Talent – a talent solutions provider with over 25 years in military recruiting.
• Recruit Military – a site focused on all aspects of the job and career search, with resources on job fairs, recruiting, colleges and even business opportunities.
• Empire Resume – we specialize in writing military to civilian resumes and have helped thousands of veterans successfully transition into the civilian world.

Military headhunters

Many recruiting companies offer headhunting service (see Bradley Morris). Headhunters work to actively or passively place candidates in positions. This is a more specialized service that can yield attractive new positions for veterans seeking jobs. Headhunters tend to focus on specific industries or job roles within that industry.

Dr. Phillip Gold is President/CEO of Empire Resume and has vast experience writing resumes for service-members transitioning from the military into civilian roles. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force responsible for leading nuclear missile security. Phillip is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and holds a BA in Communications from The Ohio State University, an MS in Instructional Technology, an MBA in Finance, and a PhD in Finance.  

Related Articles: