5 Ways to Connect Your Veteran Community with Military-Effective Employers

Community Based Organizations (CBOs) like non profits, veteran service organizations, and workforce agencies are constantly on the lookout for better ways to connect veterans with employers. These five methods will help you do just that!

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Are you constantly on the lookout for better ways to connect veterans to employers in your area? Are you tired of seeing your veteran community struggle with underemployment? Do you want to make a difference and help them connect with military-effective employers who value their skills and experience? If so, you’re in the right place.

I’m going to show you 5 ways to connect your veteran community with military-effective employers that will make a real impact. But first, let’s talk about why this matters.

How Can I Connect Veterans to Employers?

As you probably know, veterans face unique challenges when it comes to transitioning from military to civilian life. One of the biggest challenges is finding a job that matches our skills, interests, and values.

Despite the many benefits of hiring veterans, such as our proven leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities, many employers don’t know how to recruit or retain us effectively. This results in a significant gap between the unemployment and underemployment rates of veterans and non-veterans, which is a disservice to both parties.

However, this gap can be bridged by connecting your veteran community with military-effective employers who understand and appreciate the value of hiring veterans.

By doing so, you can help the military-connected community achieve economic stability, social integration, and personal fulfillment, while also benefiting the employers who gain access to a pool of talented and motivated workers. It’s simply a smart business decision to connect veterans with employers whenever possible.

So, without further ado, here are 5 ways to make it happen!

Partner with BufferSprings Community Partner Program

The first and most obvious way to connect veterans with employers is to participate with the BufferSprings Community Partner Program.

Our program is for grass-roots entities (e.g. non profits, workforce agencies, and VSOs) that serve as intermediaries between the veteran community and the employer community. They can provide a range of services, such as job counseling, skills assessment, resume writing, interview preparation, networking events, and job fairs.

Our program is designed to help these CBOs connect their veteran communities with jobs sponsored by our military-effective employer partners. We offer personal introductions to POCs at these employers, community engagement, veteran outreach, and jobs for veterans. Best of all, it’s completely free for our community partners.

Host (and Attend) Job Fairs and Networking Events

One of the best ways to connect veterans with military-effective employers is to host job fairs and networking events. These events allow veterans to meet with employers face-to-face, learn about job opportunities, and make connections that can lead to employment. Be sure to promote these events heavily in the community and online to attract as many veterans and employers as possible.

Our military-effective employer partners are constantly looking for events like these to attend. They provide excellent access to an impressive talent pool of veterans and military spouses, and helps them show meaningful community outreach.

Be prepared to participate in hiring and community outreach events hosted by employers in your area as well! Employers often use events like these to meet local CBO leaders, have site tours, and introduce people who are doing the jobs they’re actively hiring for.

By becoming a trusted partner and resource for military-effective employers, you can help connect veterans with the best job opportunities out there.

Leverage Social Media to Connect Veterans to Employers

Another way to connect your veteran community with military-effective employers is to build a strong social media presence that showcases your mission, values, and achievements.

Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, can be powerful tools for reaching out to potential employers and job seekers. You can use them to post job openings, share success stories, promote events, engage with followers, and build relationships.

By doing so, you can establish your credibility, visibility, and influence in the veteran community and beyond.

Offer Job Search Training and Resources

Many veterans may struggle with the job search process, especially if they have been out of the civilian workforce for some time.

Job-readiness training can make a significant difference in your veteran community’s employment prospects. Consider offering workshops and training sessions that cover topics like

Resume building
Interviewing skills
Job search strategies

By equipping veterans and military spouses with the necessary job-readiness skills, you can help them stand out in a crowded job market and increase their chances of finding employment with military-effective employers.

Leverage Technology

Leveraging technology can help your CBO streamline its employment support and connect veterans to employers more efficiently.

Consider implementing a job board on your CBO’s website where employers can post job openings directly. If you don’t have a job board (or don’t want to invest in one), leverage one hosted by a trusted partner (like BufferSprings!).

By using technology to your advantage, you can save time and resources while providing your veteran community with direct employment opportunities.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, connecting veterans with employers can be a challenging task, but it’s not impossible. By building a strong network, partnering with military-effective employers, utilizing social media, providing job-readiness training, and leveraging technology, your CBO can make a significant difference in the lives of veterans and their families.

Our team at BufferSprings salutes your efforts and is always available to discuss how our organizations can partner to further your mission.

If you’re interested in learning more about a partnership with our team, please fill out this interest form or email us at support@buffersprings.com directly.