Thanking our Veterans, One Hire at a Time

“Unemployment Drops to 5.8 percent in October 2014. The last time unemployment was this low was in July 2008. However, the unemployment rate rose for Veterans from 6.2 percent in September, 2014 to 7.2 percent in October, 2014 according to according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The youngest Veterans from 18-24, posted an ultra-high jobless rate of 21.4 percent!”

The report documents that, despite training and job skills acquired in the military, young Veterans of recent conflicts have generally encountered more difficulty in finding work than civilians.

“Veterans have the skills that employers are looking for. They make our nation’s workforce more productive, our companies more profitable and our economy more competitive. Smart businesses recruit Veterans because it’s in their self-interest, because they know it’s a sound investment in their bottom line,” Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez said in a statement.

President of The Liberty Group, Ken Bohan said there has always been a transition period as people leave the military and join the civilian workforce. “We work closely with a broad spectrum of employers to help shorten that transition time, he said. “They understand the value that Veterans bring. There has been a large push through the National Apartment Association and its other state affiliates to educate future employers of the many benefits of hiring Veterans. This is a personal passion of mine and at The Liberty Group we see this partnership with our employers and our returning men and women mutually beneficial.”

Senior Vice President, Matthew Smith goes on to state “Many military positions use skills that can transition directly into high-demand and difficult position to fill. Not only are they highly trained, but they are disciplined and have a strong work ethic. So we work hard to help place them.”

National Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Shonna Schneider states “We’ve placed an initiative called Hire a Veteran over two years ago and we have seen great success. It is a “Shadow Program” where they get to see the day in the life of careers in the Multifamily Industry. Then we go through an in-depth career counseling session. We assess skills and experience and work on resume development, interview preparation, strategies for sourcing job opportunities and so much more. We offer them our Free Leasing 101 and or our EPA Certification programs. It is still not enough, we are always looking for more ways to give back to these men and women who have given so much to our country.”

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) Program, a career and employment assistant is a resource for military and their spouses sponsored by the Department of Defense and the National Apartment Association and its affiliates, offers ways for them to earn any of their designations. We have personally seen many candidates earn their Certified Apartment Maintenance (CAMT), Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) and are still growing in this industry. These employees will and can be tomorrow’s next Regional Supervisor and or CEO of today’s top companies.

So as you sit down to enjoy the holidays with your friends and families, please think about what you could do to give back? Maybe you are not in a position to hire a Veteran, however, there are many resources available that you can share with them. Or the next time you see a man or woman in uniform, a simple “Thank You” can go a long way too.

Helpful Resources and Links for Veterans and their Families