Veteran Hiring and Translating Skills | Institutional Equity

As a federal contractor, Michigan Tech must comply with the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). These requirements prohibit discrimination in employment against protected veterans, requires employers to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote and retain veterans, and to establish annual hiring benchmarks.

Veteran Benchmark for hiring

The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) annual hiring benchmark for protected veterans as of March 31, 2020 is 5.7%. This benchmark is used to evaluate the effectiveness of outreach, recruitment and representation of veterans. To help reach the required benchmark, proactive steps should be used in the recruitment process.

Advertising

An extra effort should be made to advertise positions in publications to reach veterans.

Veteran Job Listing Free
Hot Jobs for Veterans Free
Hire Veterans
Be a Hero Hire a Hero
Getting Hired
Job Opportunities for Disabled American Veterans
Military Vet Jobs
Recruit Military
Transition Assistance Online
Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) – Source for Recruiting Veterans with Disabilities

EEO Statement

All job postings, including social media, must include the EEO statement.

“Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.”

A shorter version may be used only when word count is under consideration for pricing of ads: "Michigan Tech is an EOE that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities."

Search Committees

Include veteran employees on your search committee to help recruit, review resumes, and translate skills and abilities.

Reviewing and Translating Military Skills to Civilian Skills

Reviewing materials from a veteran applicant may take some extra effort. Time should be taken to read the materials and translate military skills to civilian skills.

Career One Stop

Career One Stop - Employers can use the Civilian-to-Military Occupation Translator to identify which military occupations (including Military Occupation Specialty, or MOS and MOC codes) best match their civilian job openings on the basis of education, training, skills, and experience.

O*NET

O*NET Online - Military Crosswalk allows searching by military codes or job titles to cross reference to civilian equivalent.

Veterans Can Add Incredible Value to the Workplace

Military skills are generally taught and experienced

Flexibility – a veteran can work in a team and alone. They are taught to improvise.
Experience with technology – military personnel use cutting edge technology.
Conflict resolution – veterans have the ability to identify conflict, assess the situation and implement a variety of solutions.
Communication/Interpersonal skills – are essential to military personnel and they bring these skills with them.
Leadership skills - veterans are trained to be responsible, make decisions, influence and motivate others.
Organization skills, time management, ability to prioritize, multi-task - veterans understand how crucial organization skills are to meeting their objectives.

Personal qualities

Dedication, reliable and responsible
Confident under pressure. Can handle stress.
Diversity - have worked with people from different backgrounds regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation.
Team player - veterans spend years working as a team
Ability to listen
Punctual