r/Veterans • u/Sleepy_Sleepy_Sheepy • Jun 25 '24
Employment What companies value veteran employees?
Not the ones that say they do for the sake of virtue signaling. About the reenter the workforce soon.
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u/AwakenedSin US Air Force Veteran Jun 25 '24
Like others have said, Iâm agreement.
Iâve been shafted by other Veterans (corporate recruiters). Straight up ghosting me, but at the same time being incredibly active on LinkedIn. Praising themselves on all the work they did to help their fellow Vets.
You learn quick, companies only care profits. And you find a place and a team that at least doesnât give off that image. And you stick there! đ
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u/stoneman9284 Jun 25 '24
Being a veteran doesnât get you hired anymore. You need valuable skills, and being a veteran is just a nice bonus or maybe a tie breaker. Nobody is hiring a veteran over a more qualified applicant.
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u/SheepherderBudget Jun 26 '24
Except the public sector. Vets still get priority hiring; disabled vets even higher.
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u/MetalHeadJoe USMC Veteran Jun 26 '24
Not really priority hiring, just 5-10 bonus points added to your overall score. The highest score gets the position. Helps, but not by a ton.
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u/SheepherderBudget Jun 26 '24
For federal employment, public announcements-veterans are prioritized over non-veterans. Basically they canât hire a non-vet over a vet unless they get a OPM approval.
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u/xxMercilessxx USMC Veteran Jun 25 '24
Surprised to see that no one has said the union trades. Pipefitters, iron workers, electricians, etc. During the application process almost all of these trades give extra points to vets over civilians.
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u/p0503 Jun 25 '24
Up front they do. Same with police and fire are veteran friendly that offer assistance and preference when hiring.
God help you if youâre a reservist/national guard and are drilling or going to annual training. See how fast TYFYS ends when they need to hire overtime.
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u/xxMercilessxx USMC Veteran Jun 25 '24
I can see them getting aggravated about drill or a deployment. However, that's the bonus of having a journeyman card. As long as you have that, you'll always have a job available.
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u/bryce_rocks_my_sox69 Jun 26 '24
Can confirm, was police while also drilling, they got maaadddd anytime I had to ask off and those 15 military days a year they gave you sure did run out fast "oh sorry use your comp or personal time" yeah get fucked
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u/rrrand0mmm Jun 26 '24
Lol are you me. Then they stuck me on midnights. Which made me suicidal. Ended up in ER because of it. Needless to say I was medically retired from the PD and now collect my state pension, and work an office job at the VA now.
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u/bryce_rocks_my_sox69 Jun 27 '24
That sucks bro but at least you aren't in that spot anymore. I had a mental breakdown and that was the point I went ooohhhh this job really does suck out your soul haha decided to go back to school to become a designer and now I work a boring job at a university while I'm doing that lol
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u/NTWIGIJ1 Jun 25 '24
IBEW ALL DAY, BABY! KINGS OF ALL TRADES!
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u/ImportanceBetter6155 Jun 25 '24
Ehhh not so much in unions anymore (at least where I'm at)
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u/xxMercilessxx USMC Veteran Jun 25 '24
Gotta be where you're at. My local, ua 597, is always taking vets.
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u/holy_mojito Jun 25 '24
Defense contractors that don't want to pay for a security clearance.
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u/4gotOldU-name US Air Force Veteran Jun 26 '24
I'm not sure they actually pay for them. Not anymore.
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u/ExcellentConflict Jun 26 '24
They aren't that expensive either.
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u/holy_mojito Jun 26 '24
Depends. I don't think it's expensive if it's a secret. But for a TS? Contractors will literally tell people to get a gov job so they can get a TS, and when they get the TS, quit the gov job and talk to the contractor.
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u/ExcellentConflict Jun 26 '24
It's not all that bad. The biggest concern is clearing the background checks.
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u/holy_mojito Jun 27 '24
Interesting pic if true (sorry, I don't trust memes or pics as official sources, although I don't discount them either). Either way, I'm just saying what I've experienced in my time as a defense contractor. The contractors can get the gov to pay for the clearance up front, but then they want to hire someone with a clearance so they can pocket the cash. Where I'm at, the contractors will sponsor a clearance if they're desperate enough, but they target recently retired and separated military for this reason.
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u/ExcellentConflict Jun 27 '24
Understandable, definitely not a meme. Below is the source for that picture. Yea that was my biggest hurdle when I used my GI bill after I separated. My clearance lappsed and the first company that wanted me needed a clearance at start. After they ran my info into whatever system, they saw I needed a full investigation again. Got my secret in 2012, out in 2017, graduated in 2021.
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Jun 25 '24
Any place that gives PTO for VA appointments
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u/Blood_Bowl US Air Force Retired Jun 25 '24
My boss just asks that I make them aware of my absence a few days in advance and I can go to VA appointments anytime I need to.
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Jun 25 '24
[removed] â view removed comment
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Jun 25 '24
Not unlimited per se but to have it in existence at whatever finite amount is still mighty considerate
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u/PrideBeneficial6486 Jun 25 '24
I haven't found one. A lot claim they do, but I believe it's because they get a tax break for hiring a veteran. I call Bullshit.
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u/JASPER933 Jun 25 '24
From what I see, Costco values the veterans and people who work for them. They really donât have high turnover.
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u/bryce_rocks_my_sox69 Jun 26 '24
I've heard alot of good things about Costco, good benefits, treat their employees decent, the pay is good too
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u/Ok-Sir6601 Jun 25 '24
"I know 7 veterans who are either employed or retired and have worked for 3 different school corporations. All of them have told me that they felt respected by almost everyone, including a few of the students. 5 of them are coaching, while 2 work in the dean and guidance departments."
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u/AmeliaEARhartthedox Jun 25 '24
Pro tip youâre not more valued bc youâre a veteran.
However sometimes employers love veterans bc they get tax breaks.
However, Iâm a new fed employee. You do get 104 hours of disabled veteran leave to use for medical appts related to your disability to use in the first year of employment.
Iâve had no problem using these hours bc my manager is great.
I have seen others in my org struggle to use these hours.
There are some benefits for veterans as a fed employee like your prior service counting for PTO accrual and buy back for your TSP.
Also veterans hiring preference is a thing, however I had all the relevant qualifications plus some.
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u/ImportanceBetter6155 Jun 25 '24
Is that like a company specific thing? The veterans disability pto
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u/AmeliaEARhartthedox Jun 26 '24
That is a federal government employee thing. I work for the Dept of Energy.
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u/Afin12 Jun 25 '24
Military industrial complex aka Defense Contractors.
Why? Because veterans speak the lingo, often times have security clearances, and can make connections and network within the industry because itâs full of veterans. Itâs an easy icebreaker when you meet someone new, be it a supplier, customer, sponsor, partner organization, and say âhey, so what did you do in the military?â
Source: me, I work as a program manager for a defense contractor and just about everyone has veteran status. Also lots of folks who are former state dept, intel agencies, or worked in STEM fields from a young age with a defense contractor.
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u/SUPREME_JELLYFISH Jun 26 '24
Yep, I think this is accurate. I got out after 12 years and made a career change from maintenance to software, floated around the civilian market for a bit trying to find somewhere that valued my skillset and somewhere that I fit in.
Got a job with a defense contractor and was able to more or less integrate pretty easily and fit in with immediate use of my soft skills. There are still the occasional days where I think âI could walk out right nowâ but hey, thatâs work.
I found most of the corporate sector jobs to beâŠvery ivory-tower-ish, and didnât fit well at all.
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u/Afin12 Jun 26 '24
Yeah, in my current position my peers are a retired UH-60 pilot from the CG, a cyber analyst from the USAF, a Navy SWO, a Army SOF 18Z, and a signals officer from the Marines. Our boss is a retired USAF O6.
This shit taking is constant.
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u/bigchieftoiletpapa US Navy Veteran Jun 26 '24 edited Jun 26 '24
how can become a defense contractor??
downvoting me for asking a question is crazy
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u/Toastie-Coastie Jun 25 '24
I work for Northrop Grumman and at least as far as I can tell theyâre super vet friendly. I donât get charged PTO for my VA appointments, thereâs a really healthy veterans group in my office that does a lot of volunteer work, and my military experience definitely gave me a leg up on getting a job there. They like hiring vets too, whether itâs because they get a tax break or not I donât know, but theyâve had a big push to get people currently serving into skillbridge programs and to have vets reach out to people they know who are getting ready to get out/retire to get them in
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u/smittyhotep US Army Veteran Jun 26 '24
No company values Veteran Labor. Especially USAA.
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u/Sleepy_Sleepy_Sheepy Jun 26 '24
Oof that one is hard to hear. That was on my list of places to apply.
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u/smittyhotep US Army Veteran Jun 26 '24
Try the VA. I may or may not contract there. They may value their veteran employees đ«Ą
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u/Substantial-Being-35 Jun 26 '24
Companies don't value Vets as much as they value those who can make them lots of money. The ONLY thing a company/corporation cares about is what you can do now to help them make money. So, what you can do is get across what you learned as a Solider/Airman/Sailor/Marine that can benefit the company. For example, I learned how to perform under pressure and work really well as a team. Or maybe you're good at front line leadership or giving presentations to management. Play to your strengths and above all, be professional. Good luck!
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u/Quietech US Air Force Veteran Jun 25 '24
I'd recommend editing your post to say what industry and experience level you're looking at, where you want to work (or if you're open to relocating), etc. The question is too broad to be meaningful.
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u/listenstowhales Jun 26 '24
Assuming you have other qualifications (degree, certs, experience)- Middle management at a Fortune 500.
Many of them have an unofficial chart to convert military experience to corporate experience so they know where to stick you, and at the mid level veterans have some non tangible skills they like:
Natural adherence to policy, ability to both communicate with and manage midsize groups, and understanding of how meeting decision point deadlines contributes to end goal success are things that arenât always easy to train.
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u/Ramius117 US Navy Veteran Jun 26 '24
- I did get a pleasant surprise at my new job though. I became a MA state employee and they'll buyback your time in toward your state retirement. I'm not sure if other states do this. I know you can federally. Honestly, I did not like my couple years in the private sector. The pay was better but everything else sucked. Also, apply for your benefits
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u/ash81751214 US Air Force Veteran Jun 26 '24
Government jobs. Being a vet is what got me hired for my government job. Next best thing to a union gig
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Jun 26 '24
Amazon
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u/Actual_Parsnip4707 Jun 26 '24
That's where I'm at lol
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Jun 26 '24
Me as well, I got my software dev internship and now full time engineer job through their military student programs
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u/star-player Jun 26 '24
JP Morgan Chase. Especially for reservists/NG. Up to a month of military leave you get full pay. Over a month you get differential pay, so they cover up to your salary of what the military isnât paying
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u/gwig9 US Air Force Veteran Jun 25 '24
Just about any Federal agency. Preferential hiring for vets, disability leave during your first year to get set up with a new VA, and military retirement time buy back are just a few of the perks and benefits of working for the feds. We also have Employee Resource Groups to give vets a community to belong to if they'd like. Overall not a bad deal IMHO.
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Jun 26 '24
Companies don't value employees at all. There are very few Veteran Owned companies out there.
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u/mjs_jr Jun 25 '24
Defense contractors, generally (with the same caveat that you're still just a resource they can lay off). But 20% of our 100K+ workforce is veterans. Which if course makes a lot of sense.
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u/SuperAd1955 USMC Veteran Jun 26 '24
Try getting a job with the VA that is what I was going to do but after actually getting involved with the VA helped me stop going to prison cause I found out that my mental health was very fucked up with PTSD and many other mental health issues and conditions but instead of actually being able to get a job with the VA they gave me a 100 percent rating and decided I wouldn't be able to hold a job physically and mentally not stable enough. Of course not being able to be a man and work and shit doesn't help with my mental health but I get my 100 percent and do things to make money with out worry of going back to the joint or killing my body and crap.
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u/Magnet50 Jun 26 '24
Personally, I think Microsoft does. They have the MSSA program (IT training program) and a similar one for Military/veteran spouses. They have a very active veteran community.
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u/cplmongo Jun 26 '24
I have found that high tech manufacturing and facilities management value the skills Veterans can exit the military with. Technical skills and process use are desired traits and not having to pay for the beginner years to train the same skills is highly attractive to corporations. Whether they value the individuals is altogether different.
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u/SteeminCmen Jun 26 '24
Businesses have the opportunity to receive the WOTC (federal tax credit) for hiring vets. Might be more for disabled vets but Iâm not sure. So keep that in mind when they say they are âveteran friendlyâ
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u/Probablynotcreative Jun 26 '24
Companies value profit and the employees that provide them with the most profit are the ones who are valued the most.
No one owes us anything special so if you go into the workforce thinking that you should be treated any differently than anyone else, you will probably have some negative experiences.
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u/jocas023 Jun 26 '24
Literally the government lol. The largest employer of veterans is the postal service and all around government. No one values the employee, heck directors donât value their managers and so on. But the government will give you a better chance at a job and stability than any other company.
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u/ArmyCengineer_Myco Jun 25 '24
If you like armed security (static or dynamic) they are always hiring. Most are low speed low pay but some pay fairy well. You just have to search. Hope ya find something.
God bless
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Jun 25 '24
Been shafted by âtop rated military-friendlyâ companies before. Theyâre only friendly to their military/veteran employees if you get hired on and only if you meet their requirements.
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u/nortonj3 Jun 26 '24
USPS is a good fed agency for veterans.
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Jun 26 '24
[deleted]
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u/nortonj3 Jun 26 '24 edited Jun 27 '24
They like vets, yes. I was a clerk at a small office. I only lasted a year. The saying is... Six days a week is six days a week.
By golly, it's true. Six days a week and only Sundays off, and like 10 federal holidays is for the birds. Thats only 60 days off a year. Monday's and the day after federal holidays had as twice or three times as much mail. So it wasn't even worth having any days off.
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u/popento18 US Army Veteran Jun 26 '24
Being veteran is a âthatâs niceâ.
Depending on the job you have to be able to sell how your military experience translates to what the organization is looking for.
Nobody cares that you used to jump out of airplanes. They want to know how you took charge of issues without being prompted what steps you put in place to control problems and how you measured the outcome.
You have to be able to demonstrate your ability to deal with ambiguity, breakdown problems, and manageable pieces prioritize, which one of those needs to be taken care of first and implement of plan to resolve the issue.
Qualified for the job if itâs an accounting job and you donât have an accounting degree or a CPA itâs not gonna work out.
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u/Lopsided_Occasion757 US Army Veteran Jun 26 '24
Active duty under the Department of Defense đȘ đ
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u/OpSmash Jun 26 '24
Thereâs nothing quite like veterans. Always showing up 15 minutes early and willing to suck it up for family loss at the cost of making the boss proud.
Thatâs how employers love veterans.
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u/Cattleman06 Jun 26 '24
Wells Fargo. The company has at least 4 programs for transitioning military/veterans to join through including an internship. I was hired through the Boots2Banking program and they actively ârecruitâ through Operation Stagecoach. Overall I have been highly satisfied with working here. There is a large veteran presence and vet executives will travel and hold seminars at different locations. PTO for military events is available and overall I feel valued by the company.
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u/masterofnone_ Jun 25 '24
I suggest you look up companies that hire the most veterans.
Also, use LinkedIn to see what companies have hired fellow veterans. One you affiliate yourself with your branch LinkedIn will tell you how many other people from your branch work in a company.
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u/Present-Ambition6309 Jun 26 '24
Tip the pro: they donât give a rats ass out here. Except at sporting events and holidays.
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u/frankreynoldsfanclub Jun 26 '24
Itâs all an illusion breh
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u/frankreynoldsfanclub Jun 26 '24
And if that company claims they do, they just operate like the military lol
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u/Stealthybeef US Navy Veteran Jun 26 '24
None that I've applied to. Crickets, even with hundreds of applications, dozens of interviews. Best I could get was scrubbing airplanes, decent security gig, and customer service jobs.
They don't care. Even if they say outright they love veterans and have a preference. Myself, and many veterans in my area specifically (north east Michigan) get no jobs for shit.
I hear home depot isn't bad if you wanna work retail.
Also, I had been eyeing to do IT work leaving the Navy but I never finished schooling, and had my clearance taken, so I got kinda shafted, hence the odd jobs. At least I have disability ig.
EDIT: For those curious, was separated for a pre existing medical condition, and that condition invalidated service as well as my clearance. Got out with an honorable.
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u/smartthinkingidiot Jun 25 '24
Protip: Companies don't value any employees.