When hiring, do you prefer a military retiree over a veteran who has not retired from the military?

2016-05-21T15:02:31-04:00

What are some factors to consider?

Response by SPC Andrew Griffin made May 21 at 2016 3:08 PM

2016-05-21T15:08:39-04:00

Veteran not retired from the Military: Does that consist of Active Duty, National Guard or Reserve?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 21 at 2016 3:21 PM

2016-05-21T15:21:04-04:00

SSG V. Michelle Woods SPC Andrew Griffin MAJ David Vermillion SPC Charles Brown That I am not so sure of. A trade-off I suppose. The senior officer has more management skills due to extra school, but at the same time, may be over-qualified and may expect defernential treatment.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 21 at 2016 6:13 PM

2016-05-21T18:13:48-04:00

Job description, length of the job, Age,

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 21 at 2016 6:52 PM

2016-05-21T18:52:57-04:00

I'm presuming a retired AD type vs. a reservist. Both can be great fits but you typically have a longer deprogramming issue with the retireds. Reservists can get sideways with their away requirements. Before everyone jumps on me about USERRA, there are jobs out there that you simply can't disappear on so if you cannot commit 100%, you won't pass muster. Some R&D, litigation, Formula 1 Crew Chief, and other positions require nearly 24/7 availability. These are a minority of the positions out there. Reservists who work and promote within their company usually do better than the AD types that hit the firm cold.

So it's really a "results will vary" situation which has much more to do with the specific position, the skill set required, and the ability to visualize what candidate will give the highest likelihood of success.

Response by SPC Brian Mason made May 22 at 2016 1:49 PM

2016-05-22T13:49:47-04:00

I'm not in a hiring position but two prospective employees being veterans is a plus. So what if one Reserve, NG, or retired? Both should have the same military mindset that gives them and advantage above most civilians.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made May 22 at 2016 3:24 PM

2016-05-22T15:24:44-04:00

I have had the pleasure of hiring both types of candidate and they have done equally well within their duties. For me it is position dependent.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2016 5:17 PM

2016-05-22T17:17:49-04:00

If both honorably served, then look at who is best qualified for the job.

Response by SPC Missy Lee made May 22 at 2016 8:42 PM

2016-05-22T20:42:37-04:00

In my current (civilian) position, I have hired both. Whether the prospective employee is a veteran or a retiree never mattered to me. As long as he/she has a resume that includes skill sets that I am looking for, and can corroborate the experience during the interview.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made May 23 at 2016 10:14 AM

2016-05-23T10:14:54-04:00

I'm not in charge of hiring anybody, but an Honorable Discharge is an Honorable Discharge. Personally I would treat them both the same, especially if I'm hiring them specifically for their experience. Another thing to consider is their current needs. A retiree rates a retirement check, he might not actually need the job. He might just be looking for something part time while the regular veteran might be young, trying to support a family under the stigma of being "a brainwashed baby killer". So I might also hire based on who needs the employment more. But as long as you've got an honorable, I already see you as a valuable asset.

Response by SSG V. Michelle Woods made May 24 at 2016 5:05 PM

2016-05-24T17:05:04-04:00

If I was in a hiring position, and both were qualified, I'd hire the person who doesn't have a pension already. That way I'd be looking out for my fellow non-retirees. Then again, retired NCOs have so much life-guidance that is invaluable...so I might pick the retiree.

Dang this is hard!