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 Vets fighting for jobs on home frontTransition from military to civilian employmentBy Matt Ferguson Editor's Note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com.  SEARCH JOBSYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSSoldiers returning home to the U.S. are finding they still have a fight on their hands... but this time it's for jobs. Despite strong economic performance and job growth resulting in more than 2 million jobs created in the last year, federal labor statistics show nearly one in five veterans age 20 to 24 are unemployed, three times the national average. Paul Costanzo joined the Navy in 2001. After serving as an aviation machinist mate for four years, he returned home to Garfield Heights, Ohio, at age 24 and found himself struggling to locate career opportunities that afforded the same challenge. Costanzo says a major obstacle for him is the lack of understanding on the employer's part of how the skills he acquired in the Navy could match up to their open positions. "My military background is definitely an asset," Costanzo said. "Employers recognize that being in the military involves hard work and results. But, at the same time, it can be difficult for them to recognize why an aviation machinist is the right fit for their job." Obstacles in career management also extend to veterans who are more seasoned in the civilian workforce. Rich Fantozzi, a 35-year-old Chicago native who has served in the National Guard for 17 years, was deployed in Kuwait in 2002. Before his departure, he worked as an operations manager for a business, where he traveled and oversaw several direct reports and a large budget. When he returned home a year later after serving as a company commander of 200 soldiers, he was rehired by his employer with the same seniority and pay, but in a different position with no direct reports and extensive number-crunching in front of a computer. Fantozzi left his position and has been searching for a new job for more than six months. "It can be difficult to pinpoint military-friendly employers who are willing to take a gamble on an employee who can be deployed at any time and who will make available the same opportunities when he or she comes back," Fantozzi said. Leading military-friendly companies say recruiting veterans is a smart business choice as these employees offer a unique blend of leadership and teamwork skills as well as integrity, technology proficiency and the ability to perform under pressure. Home Depot, for example, hired more than 16,000 veterans in 2004 and more than 17,000 in 2005. General Electric currently employs more than 6,000 veterans. Sprint Nextel has an extensive military recruitment program with more than 7,000 veterans working in technical, retail, customer service and network positions for the company today. Ron Nicholl, a career military veteran who heads up Sprint's veteran recruitment program, says its pay differential program, veteran support network and other military service benefits provide for a mutually beneficial work experience. "We do this because it makes good business sense and because it's the right thing to do," Nicholl said. Federal and state veterans organizations have united with CareerBuilder.com, the nation's largest job site, to make it easier for veterans to connect with employers. They launched OperationHeroforHire.com The site enables veterans to quickly identify employers who are sensitive to their employment needs and apply for positions in a variety of fields and locations in real time. Veterans can also post up to five different versions of their resumes to appeal to employers in different areas of interest -- all at no charge. "Employers across America are realizing more than ever the great value veterans bring to the workplace," said Charles Ciccolella, the assistant secretary of labor for Veterans' Employment and Training Service. "CareerBuilder.com's launch of a free Web site to help employers connect with veterans recognizes that reality." "The Internet has been a highly effective vehicle for recruiting veterans and OperationHeroforHire.com further assists outreach efforts," Nicholl said. For veterans looking for basic training in how to increase their visibility to employers, OperationHeroforHire.com Don't get lost in translation: One of the primary challenges men and women leaving the armed forces are facing in the job hunt is drawing parallels between skills acquired in the military and those required in civilian positions. O*NET OnLine Make it easy for employers: Employers in the private sector are most likely not going to be familiar with military jargon. Veterans need to specifically address how their military skills are transferable to civilian positions in all communications from resumes through interviews. Make sure to list specific accomplishments and accolades from military and civilian occupations, so employers can see how skills were put into action. Veterans can also sign up for a job-hunting Webinar being held at noon and 3 p.m. EDT on May 30 and 31 and June 2. To register, veterans should go to this link © Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2005. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority
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