Does being a veteran give you an advantage when applying for jobs?

2016-01-21T10:41:26-05:00

Are there certain expectations when a veteran applies for a job opposed to a civilian? There are numerous reasons to hire a veteran but do you think your background in the military puts you at an advantage or maybe a disadvantage when looking for a job?

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Response by SGT Larry Prentice made Jan 21 at 2016 10:44 AM

2016-01-21T10:44:27-05:00

I think it depends on the culture of the company. If the company has hired vets then yes, it will help you. If they havent, they may not understand your mindset.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jan 21 at 2016 11:26 AM

2016-01-21T11:26:15-05:00

It did for me because when I came back from Vietnam as a Combat Sergeant in the Marine Corps, I applied for a position with the State Police. There were over 200 applicants that applied and they had five openings. I got picked because of my Military training and background! My Military background payed off then and still is today! Thank you Uncle Sam!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 11:48 AM

2016-01-21T11:48:59-05:00

From my own personal experience I have to say no.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Jan 21 at 2016 12:40 PM

2016-01-21T12:40:57-05:00

Much of any advantage is going to be situational driven. A company that has large contracts to DoD is more likely to hire veterans. A company that is owned/staffed by Berkley Grads (often referred to as tree huggers) may be LESS likely to hire a military vet. Often what it comes down to is how the Veteran presents him/herself. Also of import is what experience you have, what the company is looking for, and how you can convey or communicate your experience in words that are understood.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 12:41 PM

2016-01-21T12:41:09-05:00

It depends on where. It gave me a advantage applying for a government job.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 12:43 PM

2016-01-21T12:43:48-05:00

My experience is that it was no advantage in getting hired. In fact, I would say it was a disadvantage as many companies use Human Resource people for initial screenings and interviews, and they are given specific experience to look for. If they can't translate what you did to their terms, (and they usually can't) or if the experience doesn't match exactly they consider you unqualified. An example, after reading my resume that included battalion commander and a description of what that entailed, an HR person asked me if I thought I would be able to be in charge of a 10 person team.

But OTOH, every one of the qualities listed are exactly what enabled me to rapidly advance within the company. Once you get your foot in the door, things like your work ethic, integrity, etc will stand out. So in my experience being a vet didn't help me get in the door. But once in, it helped me excel.

Response by SFC Christopher Taggart made Jan 21 at 2016 1:51 PM

2016-01-21T13:51:46-05:00

So far, it has not. Since 2011, I have returned back to college, got a Bachelors in 2014 and currently attending a Master's Degree program in Informatics...hopefully this'll get me employed.

Response by SFC John Birks made Jan 21 at 2016 4:46 PM

2016-01-21T16:46:45-05:00

I'm going to say, no. I had a lot of doors shut on me before getting an entry level position. Now two years later I'm still in the same position looking for my opportunity to move up.. No special privileges or preferences. For that matter my military leadership training and experience isn't even considered.

Response by SGT Mark Rhodes made Jan 21 at 2016 7:01 PM

2016-01-21T19:01:09-05:00

Bethany Duffy
There are many company that are Veteran friendly meaning they prefer to hire Vets. That list used to be pretty small but it has grown very large now. I think it is due to hiring managers know the strength that a Vet has, one being they know they will show up to work on time and in a lot of cases way before their shift starts.

Response by MAJ David Peterson made Jan 21 at 2016 10:48 PM

2016-01-21T22:48:21-05:00

Everyone has an idea of what it means to be military. Some people have negative ideas. If you do your best in an interview and get passed over for a position because of it, you probably wouldn't have liked working there anyway.

Be, Know, Do works in every profession. They just don't know it yet.