The Recruit Group aims to help 30 million people facing barriers in the labor market around the world get hired*1. One of the barriers that we are currently focusing on is the challenge for veterans in the workforce. In the United States, approximately 200,000 veterans return to civilian life each year*2, but many of them struggle to find work. We help veterans find jobs by ensuring that they can fully showcase the skills and experiences they gained during their military careers. At the same time, we also help companies to understand veterans’ potential and attributes to hire them effectively. Recruit Group works to reduce barriers through this dual approach.
*1 The initiative as of today includes providing assistance through the Company's online job platform, and through partnerships with NPOs and other organizations with whom the Company collaborates. The Company may also aim to reduce other various barriers, including newly emerging issues in the labor market by FY2030.
*2 Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Barriers National Heroes Face After Retirement
About 200,000 veterans return to civilian life in the United States each year, but the transition is not an easy one. Adapting to the routines of everyday life, relationships with family and friends, and the many choices available day-to-day—things that people who have never served in the military would not think twice about—are stressful. Finding a job is one of the biggest challenges in this transition period.
Veterans have various concerns when looking for a job: not knowing where to start, being unsure of whether there are jobs that can make use of their experience and skills from the military, and even what kind of companies are out there to explore. A common case is when veterans use their own language to explain their experience and skills they have acquired in the military in their resumes and interviews and find it does not appeal to companies. It is common for companies to reject all veterans during the screening process because they cannot interpret military backgrounds and translate these skills into value inside their businesses. Even companies that are open to veterans sometimes overlook well-qualified veteran candidates, finding it difficult to see the connections between their own recruiting requirements and military experience and skills. For example, it may not be clear at first glance how to plug an infantry leader coming out of the Army into commercial real estate operations.
This lack of understanding between the two parties is a major barrier that makes it difficult for veterans to find employment. Recruit Group is launching initiatives, including the following, to promote effective matching between veterans and companies hiring.
HR Technology SBU: Indeed Initiatives
At Indeed, the #1 job site in the world*3, a team dedicated to veterans is leading an initiative called “Indeed for Military” to help veterans find jobs by improving the platform and educating client companies.
1. Platform
Indeed is working on a variety of initiatives to improve the UI (user interface) of its platform to make it easier to find listed jobs where veterans are encouraged to apply.
You can easily find military encouraged jobs by the sorting function on indeed
Indeed also has a website for veteran job seekers
that offers extensive career guides including webinars, and a free resume review service.
2. Educating Companies
Indeed educates client companies about the value that veterans can bring with their experience and skills, and how to engage with the veteran community, which leads to effective hiring. Indeed also has a website for companies on hiring veterans to provide information such as veteran hiring tips and best practices.
*3 Source: Comscore, Total Visits, September 2022
Staffing SBU: Staffmark Group Initiatives
Since 2012, Staffmark—a Recruit temporary staffing company in the U.S.—has been working on an initiative called “Operation: Hired” to help veterans get jobs.
1. Guidance and Skill Trainings
Staffmark Group is supporting military and veteran personnel for a smooth transition to civilian life by partnering with Transition Assistance Programs*4 across multiple military installations as well as Non-Governmental Organizations that support veterans and the military and participating in workshops and job fairs hosted annually by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It also helps veterans with disabilities prepare to return to work.
2. Employment Opportunities
Staffmark Group introduces job opportunities for direct employment and temporary employment. As an authorized provider for the Department of Defense's SkillBridge Program, it accepts military members who are about to be released from active duty as interns.
Testimonials from the program participants
*4 The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is the result of an interagency partnership between the Departments of Defense (DoD), Labor (DOL), Veterans Affairs (VA), Education (ED), Homeland Security (DHS), Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), in conjunction with the Military Departments who execute TAP.
Creating More Opportunities for Veterans to Shine in Civil Society
At first glance, veterans' experience and skills may seem irrelevant to corporate hiring requirements. However, the teamwork, leadership, ethics, and discipline that they acquired during their service are soft skills that can be used in any workplace. If companies focus more on these skills and approach hiring with an open mind, and if veterans express their experiences and skills in a way companies can easily understand, the two parties will understand each other better. This would be a big step forward for veterans to have more opportunities to shine in civil society and for companies to tap into an overlooked resource for talent. Recruit Group will continue to support veterans so that they can easily find new places to work.