At VA, we have an unwavering commitment to supporting Veterans and transitioning military personnel, and that includes helping you build a rewarding career here at VA.
This week, we’ll celebrate National Hire a Veteran Day, which serves as a chance to honor the service and skills of Veterans nationwide. It also offers us the chance to bring you into communities where your experiences can help build a connection with our patients: Veterans just like you.
A day of recognition and support
National Hire a Veteran Day was established in 2017 and founded by Dan Caporale, a Marine Corps Veteran and founder of Hiring Our Heroes, a national nonprofit organization.
This special day is set aside to raise awareness of civilian employment for transitioning service members and Veterans after their military service, a call to action for those who hire and those who apply.
Every day, hundreds of U.S. military personnel leave the service in search of civilian employment. On July 25, National Hire a Veteran Day reminds employers to consider Veterans to fill their open positions, as their skills and training make them ideal candidates for numerous jobs.
The Veteran difference
During their military service, Veterans acquire expertise that can provide tremendous value to organizations in the civilian sector. You bring leadership, work ethic, teamwork, tenacity, dedication, determination to succeed, and many other “must-have” traits to the workplace.
You have been trained to plan for contingencies and are skilled at working in demanding environments. That’s a bonus for any organization looking for people who can handle a fast-paced workplace with lots of competing priorities.
You’ve also worked in diverse (and often challenging) settings and are skilled at being part of a team. You know how to communicate with people from all walks of life and can get to the heart of any concerns quickly, whether they come from a customer, a patient, or a coworker.
And that’s not even touching on your military occupational specialty, many of which translate directly into civilian jobs. For example, culinary, administrative, and communications specialists can find similar jobs in the civilian workforce, with the added bonus of all the aforementioned skills.
With all that in mind, who wouldn’t want a Veteran to work on their team? We certainly do.
Helping you on your journey
VA has made numerous resources available for Veterans like you who want to continue their public service and shift to a civilian career. We regularly feature blog posts just like this one, offering tips and advice and information about jobs that fit your skill set.
We’ve also taken steps to make sure that it’s easier to find jobs open to you, including specific search functions tailored to Veterans.
When you search for opportunities on USAJOBS.gov, check the “This job is open to” section in each advertisement. When a job is open to Veterans, you’ll see an icon that looks like a white shield or a badge on a green circle.
If you’re not sure what opportunity might be right for you, you can also narrow your search specifically for jobs offering preference to Veterans. Select the “Veterans” filter in your search and we’ll show you everything open to those who have served.
We also have a page here on our site dedicated to Veterans and transitioning military personnel, which includes those same searches already pre-filtered, as well as links to promoted career fields and additional VA resources. Take a look!
Work at VA
Whether it’s on Hire a Veteran Day or any other day, join a team where your experience matters, and where you can help Veterans just like you.
- LEARN what VA has to offer Veteran applicants.
- EXPLORE our step-by-step guide to the application process.
- READ about using Veterans’ preference to assist your application.
- SEARCH for opportunities near you.
