One-in-Five Employers to Hire U.S. Veterans Over the Next 12 Months, According to CareerBuilder's Veterans Day Survey

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Nov 10, 2011, 06:00 ET

CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Although they are battling a higher than average unemployment rate, those returning from military duty and re-entering the workforce may find better employment prospects over the next year. One-in-five (20 percent) employers reported they are actively recruiting U.S. veterans to work for their organizations over the next 12 months; 14 percent are actively recruiting members of the National Guard. The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder from August 16, 2011 to September 8, 2011 and included more than 2,800 hiring managers in the public and private sectors nationwide.

Where Are They Hiring?

Employers are planning to tap into the technical and communications skills and leadership abilities of U.S. service men and women. More than one-third of employers plan to hire for Information Technology positions, which topped the list of hot areas for hiring U.S. veterans:

Information Technology – 36 percent
Customer Service – 28 percent
Engineering – 25 percent
Sales – 22 percent

"The unemployment rate for veterans who left military service over the last decade continues to outpace that of the civilian workforce," said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. "After fighting for their country, they come home fighting for jobs. The survey shows that employers recognize the unique value military experience can bring, but that they don't always understand how military skills fit into corporate America. Veterans will need to clearly make that connection in their resume, cover letter and job interviews as they enter this new chapter of their careers."

Must Knows for Job Seekers Coming Off of Active Duty

1)	Speak their language. Two-in-five employers (41 percent) reported it can be difficult to decipher how military experience fits into civilian positions. It's important to highlight specific military skills and spell out how they are relevant to the responsibilities listed in the employer's job ad. For example, if you served in the infantry, there are a lot of relatable skills for police or security guard positions or for training roles within organizations.

2)	Advertise your experience. More than one-in-four employers (27 percent) said one of the biggest challenges in recruiting U.S. veterans for open positions is that veterans don't always market their military experience. Include your military experience with a bulleted list of accomplishments that shows how you put your knowledge into action.

3)	Emphasize unique qualities. From your resume to the interview to the thank you letter, highlight attributes employers look for in members of the Armed Forces. Survey respondents said they consider the following to be among the most important attributes:


		Disciplined approach to work – 66 percent
		Ability to work as a team – 65 percent
		Respect and integrity – 58 percent
		Leadership skills – 56 percent
		Problem-solving skills – 54 percent
		Ability to perform under pressure – 53 percent
		Communication skills – 45 percent

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,874 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time, not self-employed, government and non-government) between August 16 and September 8, 2011 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 2,874, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.83 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®

CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset - their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 24 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 40 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to recruitment support. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact:
CareerBuilder
Jennifer Grasz
773-527-1164
[email protected]
http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR

SOURCE Career Builder, Inc.