Jobs for Veterans: Easing Re-employment's Challenges

PLUS!  Top 5 Reasons Veterans Turn to Staffing Companies

At the Veterans Jobs Summit and Career Forum last week, the Obama administration unveiled a new online platform focused on veteran employment. It’s called the Online Veterans Employment Center, a tool for supporting transitioning service members, veterans, and their spouses looking for new career opportunities.

According to a blog post on whitehouse.gov, it will provide career help and simplify job search by giving veterans access to public résumé posting forums, among other things. Employers will also benefit by having access to a targeted feed of applicants and reverse skills translation to help them understand the value of military skills in civilian positions, something often cited as a hurdle on the road to employment for veterans. Read the announcement, Helping Employers Connect to Job Seeking Service Members, Veterans and Their Families, on the whitehouse.gov blog.

Issues addressed at the Veterans Job Summit were in keeping with a broader ongoing commitment to support transitioning service members and their families. New efforts also include preparing service members before they leave, and establishing a blueprint for next steps once they do – whether they are entering the job market, preparing for a new career, or heading to college.

Local Challenges for Veterans Seeking Jobs 

The importance of re-employment support for veterans can’t be underestimated as returning military vets continue to cite “preparing to enter the workforce” as one of the biggest challenges to adjusting to civilian life.
For some, creating a résumé or applying for work is a new experience, and translating skills from the military to civilian terms can be difficult. In addition, those doing the hiring can be unaware of the skills military veterans bring to the table – things like hard work, adaptability, or advanced schooling that may not translate into that formal degree often cited in job descriptions.

For many veterans, especially those who join the service right after school, the task of finding a job can be especially challenging. According to Bob Traill, who is Director of Diversified Recruitment at BONNEY Staffing Center and works for BONNEY on Seasoned Worker and Veterans recruitment, they generally have little experience looking for work and don’t know how their military skills can be useful in civilian employment. Traill said that even older veterans are unsure about what they want to do and need training for jobs they would like to pursue.

As part of easing the transition from military service to civilian careers in Maine and New Hampshire, efforts are underway in Maine to help vets obtain occupational licenses for jobs such as electricians, plumbers and fuel technicians. In New Hampshire, resources for veterans seeking jobs include the availability of local veterans’ representatives and access to state job and training resources. And, in Maine, New Hampshire and across the country, Hiring Our Heroes provides resources such as résumé and interview training for veterans and military spouses, and holds job fairs and hiring events throughout the year (view their upcoming events).

Some local veterans are finding employment support by partnering with staffing companies. Staffing companies have become instrumental in providing jobs and job support because of their expertise in the area of re-employment and, in certain cases, their specific focus on veteran recruitment. Staffing companies that specialize in these areas can be an ideal choice for veterans with military experience seeking civilian jobs.

Bridging the Jobs Gap for Military Veterans in Maine & NH

Local staffing companies like BONNEY Staffing Center integrate veterans directly into their outreach and recruitment strategy. In 2013, BONNEY was recognized with an 'Above and Beyond' Award from the ESGR, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, for their support of Maine's Guard and Reserve members. BONNEY’s staffing specialists value the unique skills of veterans, understand the challenges veterans face in the job search, and work to provide resources that cater to their specific needs. It’s these characteristics that make them perfectly positioned to partner with veterans.


Staffing companies also offer the benefit of assigning employers to work for which they are best suited, which benefits both the job seeker and the employer. In addition, Traill said he finds employers increasingly prefer the “try before you buy” approach to personnel selection, which staffing companies allow for by offering temp-to-hire positions. The approach is attractive to veterans who might have little knowledge of the jobs available and how their skills can be transferred, and it’s also attractive to veterans who have a career path in mind but want to evaluate an employer before accepting a position.

5 Reasons Staffing Companies Work for Veterans

For those reentering the civilian job market, here are a few of the top motivating factors of enlisting with a local staffing company that has veteran recruitment initiatives:

1. They help communicate the depth of veterans’ skills and experience to hiring managers. By emphasizing the benefits of hiring veterans, staffing companies play a crucial role in bridging the gap between military and civilian life.
2. They can assist in translating military experience to relevant civilian sector skills desired by employers. Knowledgeable recruiters can also help job seekers highlight skills learned in the military that they may not have been aware they had – and those that employers love.   
3. Staffing companies serve every kind of employer.  Serving for-profit, not-for-profit and municipal employers of all sizes can be particularly helpful to veterans by giving them exposure to a variety of employers, something that would be difficult to replicate on their own. 
4. Staffing companies offer support before and after hire. They work with job seekers to prepare them to be strong job candidates, excel in interviews, and prepare powerful résumés. They can also provide support after a lay-off or between assignments.
5. Finally, staffing companies are an excellent option for anyone re-entering the workforce. Signing on with a staffing company opens the door to temporary or part-time work, allowing veterans to pursue educational training or build new skills. They also offer temp-to-hire positions which allow job seekers to explore different career fields and satisfy employers who prefer to “try before they buy”. 

Find out more about the BONNEY Staffing Jobs for Veterans in Maine initiative. 

Wanted: Seasoned Worker Seeking the Perfect Job

New to the workforce? Recovering from job loss? Staffing companies in Maine see age as just another skill worth leveraging. 

 

Know someone approaching retirement age? Don’t be surprised if relaxing with grandkids or golfing on the links is not in their immediate future. More and more workers past retirement age are spending 9-5 in the workplace. Retirees entering the job market will find other older workers there, too: the enduring effects of the recent recession has turned many workers 55 and older into job seekers, while still others have decided to seek work for the first time.

Maine workers ages 55 and over are growing at a faster pace than in all other states. Maine’s population is one of the oldest in the nation, and that’s reflected in its workforce. At the same time, demand for older workers in Maine is on the rise, as a declining birth rate and out-migration of college graduates and other young workers deplete the state’s supply of younger workers.

For those in Maine’s job placement field, being tasked to help find the right job for an older, or “seasoned” worker is commonplace – it’s also far from impossible. In fact, life experience is often considered just one more quality to add to a job seeker’s resume.

The Seasoned Worker  

Most consider the seasoned worker to be mid-fifty to 80 – and increasingly, even older. While the need for income tops the list of why older workers enter the job market, many are motivated by a need to seek social contact or to gain mental and physical stimulation.

“They range from the very unskilled to highly paid managers and scientists and every type of vocation in between,” said Bob Traill, Director of Diversified Recruitment at BONNEY Staffing Center. Traill travels all over the state working for BONNEY on Seasoned Worker and Veterans recruitment. Before joining BONNEY, he owned the Maine franchise of the national staffing company Olsten, since been bought by Adecco. At 90, he has a first-hand understanding of the issues faced by seasoned workers facing the search for employment.

“Some are frightened and unsure of themselves,” Traill said. But despite some apprehension, he said most seasoned workers are thoughtful, mature, and respectful. And while some may have limited education, he finds them consistently well-spoken, good communicators. Older workers also come with built-in benefits to employers, Traill said – reliability, promptness, and experience, and an ability to serve as models for younger workers among them.

“They’re established, they recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and they are willing to learn,” said Cheryle Nielsen-Pesce, Branch Manager of BONNEY’s Windham office, about the seasoned workers she sees. “They’re not involved in or looking for the social drama that sometimes surrounds other generations.”

BONNEY Branch Manager Heather Mott’s experience is similar. She sees many older workers at her Bangor branch who come in fresh from retirement when they find being at home every day isn't what they thought it would be. She said that whether we want to admit it or not, there is a vast difference in the seasoned workforce and the unseasoned workforce. “They work hard, they come in early, they stay late, and they are willing to work their way up,” she said. It’s a pleasant contrast to some of the younger workers she sees who prefer to bypass entry level positions, create their own schedules, and expect higher pay.

Traill said there are more opportunities in the state for retirees like those Mott encounters than there were before the recession. But even at BONNEY, the job requirements are the job requirements – staffing specialists must be certain that the worker has the skills and interests to meet those requirements, and there can be no difference in the considerations for a successful assignment, regardless of age. For the seasoned worker, that can present some challenges.

Hiring Seasoned Workers

Despite the changing landscape, seasoned workers face obstacles. First, ageism in the workplace remains. (According to research from the AARP, many older workers cite discrimination as the reason for job loss.) When older workers re-enter the workforce, gaps in work history can mean a pass when it comes to hiring. There are also hurdles beyond their resume: some managers can be impatient when seasoned workers have to learn new tasks, and some employers question older workers’ energy and enthusiasm.

“Positions exist now that seasoned workers aren’t prepared for and didn’t even exist twenty years ago,” said Traill. “Older workers can sometimes be overwhelmed with the learning curve or learning new processes.” As older workers enter the job market the number of baby boomers engaged in educational activities, certifications and other job training to update their skills has grown, making them more prepared. Even so, technical knowledge is often cited as a barrier, as is their ability to adjust to today’s faster work pace.

For quality staffing companies, matching skill sets with jobs is just part of the process of finding the right employee, no matter who the job seeker is. For Julie Banta, Assistant Branch Manager at BONNEY’s Augusta office, birth dates are of no interest to her. “Our clients are looking for people who are reliable and dependable with good skills,” she said. “Age does not play a role here.”

“In Kennebec County we are able to promote these candidates even with the skills gap if they have a long work history prior to retirement,” Banta said, adding, “Our clients love them.” She points to an example of an 80-year old worker that came to her several years ago seeking a job. The prospect of finding her the right position was exciting, not discouraging.  She had the right opening with a client for a part-time administration position at a local non-profit.  “The client loved her and hired her on the spot.  She has now been working there for 5 years and is 85 years young,” she said.

The Staffing Advantage 

For the seasoned worker entering the job market, the staffing industry provides an advantage that scouring classifieds or sending out resumes can’t touch. The biggest reason? Staffing agencies serve any and all employers, which means there is usually something of interest for anyone.

“More and more employers are turning to staffing companies for personnel selection to reduce risk in an uncertain economy, and to provide employees when demand for their products and services peaks,” said Traill. He includes non-profits and municipalities as well as private enterprises in the list of employers providing work opportunities across the age spectrum. As part of their Seasoned Worker program, BONNEY holds initial informal meetings organized specifically for seasoned workers. This allows them to describe themselves and learn about opportunities available to them in an informal, social setting. Staffing specialists at BONNEY provide training resources and recommendations to sharpen their skills, assistance with creating or updating their resume, and education about what to expect when re-entering the workforce. They also help seasoned job seekers identify ways they can transfer existing skills to new employment opportunities.

Staffing companies also provide another unique advantage: Partnering with a staffing company means the job seeker is part of a long-term relationship with someone committed to their success. This kind of relationship can help workers find their footing in the job market so they can find the job that is right for them, and even uncover buried professional passions. Said Nielsen-Pesce, “Our BONNEY experience offers seasoned workers the opportunities to be presented for positions in organizations and industries that they may have always had an interest in, but never dared to venture into.”

For seasoned workers, the staffing relationship can turn what can seem like a difficult road into a success story. Sarah Joy, Branch Manager of BONNEY’s Portland office has worked with one seasoned worker since 2007, placing him with both full and part-time work in a variety of fields. Some were in his trade – accounting – and some weren’t. He was laid off in 2012, but Joy said he didn’t skip a beat. “He came right back and jumped right back in,” she said. Ultimately, his varied experience led to his candidacy for a Temp-to-Hire position with a well-known local business that was a spot-on match for his skill set. He was hired.

Joy said it’s a job that both staffing specialists and workers alike consider the holy grail – a perfect fit. “We couldn't be happier for a field employee,” she said. What made the difference? He was flexible, willing to try anything, and has a great attitude, characteristics Joy believes paid off – just as they might for a worker of any age.

Learn More About Seasoned Workers in Today’s Job Market

The Hiring Site: Ageism in the Workplace. Why a shift from “age” to “life stage” makes more sense in today’s work force.

Career Builder Survey has tips on staying in your job longer. “Running mentorship programs or training new hires are examples of how some mature workers have reinvented themselves within their organizations,” they say.

Older Workers Committee. Includes resources and jobs fairs for older workers in Maine.

Maine Career Center. Handy resource guide for workers and employers.

BONNEY Staffing Seasoned Worker Program. To find about the Seasoned Worker program contact your local branch.