Employment Services for Job Seekers

Use this section to guide your employment search efforts. Refer to the following sources, in addition to your local newspaper job listings, to conduct your job search, qualify and apply for vocational training and educational programs, and find immediate employment opportunities.

Federal Programs

Department of Defense - Transition Assistance
The Department of Defense offers an Employment Assistance section for transitioning servicemembers and veterans. The site allows you to search for jobs and build your resume, and gives you tip on how to translate your military skills into the civilian world, find jobs in the “hidden job market” through networking and how to improve your interview skills. The site also contains links to other helpful resources including career search engines, career fairs, and employment for military spouses.

Department of Labor – Veterans’ Employment Training Service
The mission statement for VETS is to provide veterans and transitioning servicemembers with the resources and services to succeed in the 21st century workforce by maximizing their employment opportunities, protecting their employment rights and meeting labor-market demands with qualified veterans today.

Department of Labor - Employment & Training Administration
This DOL agency has responsibility for development and administration of training programs and services for the nation’s workforce. ETA is a member of America’s Workforce Network – the nationwide system of workforce organizations that provides information and services to employers, job seekers and employment specialists. Access to programs at state and local levels can be obtained by calling America’s Workforce Network toll-free help line (1-877-US2-JOBS).

Department of Labor - Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER)
LVERs are employment specialists funded by DOL-VETS and stationed in more than 1,800 state, municipal and county employment offices nationwide. LVERs are trained and certified by the National Veterans Training Institute (NVTI) in Denver to help veterans prepare for and secure employment. These employment specialists work closely with government agencies, community-based service organizations, and local employers to identify employment opportunities. To find the LVER serving your area, call your state employment office or contact DOL-VETS at the web address above.

Department of Labor - Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
ODEP's mission is to carry out the President's New Freedom Initiative by getting technology and other tools to Americans with disabilities so they can enter the economic mainstream. This will be achieved through policy analysis, technical assistance and development of best practices, as well as outreach, education, constituent services and promoting ODEP's mission among employers. This resource is designed for planners, employment centers and job seekers.

Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website can help job seekers prepare resumes; find on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs, and search for job openings by state. VA employment opportunities are also listed. For more information about VA employment assistance services and programs and for contact information in your area, go to the VA website and click on “VA Jobs.”

Department of Veterans Affairs - Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services
The VA offers a nationwide employment training program for service connected disabled veterans who qualify for vocational rehabilitation. In addition to employment and educational training programs, these offices can provide eligible disabled veterans with job-specific training and, in some cases, job placement assistance. The VA also provides eligible disabled veterans with assistance to obtain assistive technology devices to enhance employment opportunities and promote self-sufficiency.

Department of Veterans Affairs - Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program
The VA CWT Program is available to veterans meeting certain criteria and who are enrolled in a therapeutic or supportive residential program. The primary goal of the CWT program is to provide veterans with psychosocial disorders an opportunity to develop work skills and obtain employment to maximize their independence and quality of life. The program involves intense case management support, employment, transitional housing, and a wide range of supportive services. Contact the local VA Medical Center to see if there are programs in your area; look in your local phone book blue pages under "U.S. Government, Veterans Affairs."

Hire Vets First.gov
The One-Stop Career Center at HireVetsFirst.gov allows veterans to work with a Veterans' Employment Specialist to find jobs, acquire skills and education, plan their career, attend workshops, and take advantage of other resources. The One-Stop Career Center provides several core services including job search, resume writing, job placement, interviewing skills, career counseling, and many others.

Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides supplemental security and disability income to disabled Americans, regardless of veteran status, and administers a national services network designed to help disabled people return to the workforce without losing the disability and health care benefits to which they are entitled. The agency features a comprehensive website that guides employment specialists and job seekers through descriptions of supplemental security income and other benefits; employment assistance programs for disabled workers, including the national “Ticket to Work” program; online SSA benefits applications; and local employment contacts and services. You can also download a copy of the “Red Book,” which is a valuable resource for employment specialists working with disabled people trying to re-enter the workforce.

Small Business Administration - Office of Veterans Business Development
The mission of the Office of Veterans Business Development is to maximize the availability, applicability, and usability of all administration small business programs for Veterans, Service-Disabled Veterans, Reserve Component Members, and their Dependents or Survivors. This site contains information about the Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative, the Veterans Business Outreach Program, and contact information for regional Veterans Business Development Officers.

SBA New Patriot Express Loan Initiative
The Patriot Express Loan Program is available to military community members including veterans, service-disabled veterans, active-duty service members participating in the military’s Transition Assistance Program, Reservists and National Guard members, current spouses of any of the above, and the widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service or of a service-connected disability. The loan can be used for most business purposes including start-up, expansion, equipment purchases, working capital, inventory, or business-occupied real-estate purchases.

Loans are available up to $500,000 and qualify for SBA’s maximum guaranty of up to 85 percent for loans of $150,000 or less and up to 75 percent for loans over $150,000 up to $500,000. For loans above $350,000, lenders are required to take all available collateral.

State Employment Offices
Every state government has an employment services and assistance department that provides information and supportive services to job seekers. Though each state is different, most offer comprehensive job listings, veteran-specific assistance programs (usually in partnership with DOL and VA programs), and information about unemployment benefits and training programs. If you have not already done so, search your state’s employment assistance website for services that are offered, application policies, contact information, and office locations. On most Internet search engines, simply type in the state name followed by “employment.”

State Offices of Veterans Affairs
Every state has a Director of Veterans Affairs. These offices are not associated with the VA and provide additional assistance to veterans, which may include employment training and job placement services. For contact information in your state, go to the website above or look in the blue pages of your local phone book under “State Government, Veterans Affairs.”

Vet Biz.gov
A Veteran Resource Information web site designed to assist veteran entrepreneurs who want to start and expand their businesses in the Federal and private marketplace. This site provides up-to-the-minute information from the Federal Government as it pertains to Service Disabled and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. The site provides several free services to anyone who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.

Veteran-Specific Employment Resources

Hire Heroes USA Program
The Hire Heroes USA Program in Alpharetta, GA, serves as a link to employment opportunities nationwide for veterans returning home. The program provides placement services to wounded veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom with any level of disability as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. To find career resources for the severely injured, visit the Military.com Severely Injured Career Center.

HirePatriots.com
HirePatriots.com began in 2005 as a site to help current and transitioning Marines from Camp Pendleton find employment. Today it contains employment opportunities for current, transitioning and former members of all branches of service and from every base in the nation. At the site you will be able to post your resume and search for both temporary jobs and careers.

Military.com
The Veteran Careers page at Military.com allows veterans to search for employers looking to hire veterans, build their resumes, network with other veterans, and find out about career fairs. The website contains lots of useful information for any veteran seeking employment including transition assistance, career advice from experienced professionals, and a listing of the top 25 jobs for veterans in 2008.

MilitaryConnection.com
A comprehensive website for military personnel and veterans, this full-service community offers news bulletins for each branch of service, transition assistance information, instructions for benefits applications, interactive features, and an employment resource that includes employers and job listings for military members and veterans.

VeteransCorp.org
The Veterans Corporation is a federally-chartered 501(c)(3) organization that was created through the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999. The Corporation is charged with creating and enhancing entrepreneurial business opportunities for Veterans, including Service-Disabled Veterans. The website has information about starting and managing a business as well as sections about acquiring capital, becoming bonded, and online education workshops.

Veterans Employment Resource Center (via USAJOBS)
Since the Civil War, Veterans of the Armed Forces have been given some degree of preference in appointments to Federal jobs. By law, veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-veterans both in hiring from competitive lists of eligible candidates and in retention during reductions in force. USAJOBS is the U.S. Government’s one-stop source for federal employment information, veteran preference resources, job search assistance, and application guidelines.

VeteranEmployment.com
This comprehensive website allows veterans to search for and apply for employment online. The job bank includes positions available at businesses and agencies nationwide that offer veteran hiring preferences. Also included are a section on security clearances, and a section to guide veterans on how to prepare a resume and perform well during the interview process.

VetJobs.com
Regarded by veteran service organizations as the leading Internet site for reaching the 14 million military veterans currently in the work force – as well as the 250,000 military personnel who transition each year and their family members – VetJobs is an excellent source for candidates in information technology, program and project management, sales, linguists, logistics, transportation, human resources, manufacturing, engineering, finance, healthcare, accounting and senior executives. VetJobs is owned and operated by veterans for veterans. In January 2000, The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States exclusively endorsed and purchased 10 percent of the company. Since then, VetJobs has garnered many veteran service organization endorsements. The site offers veterans a wealth of guidance and resource information to enhance their employment prospects.

VetJobs.us
Created by the American Legion in partnership with Avue Technologies, this site is designed to help veterans find employment with the federal government. Through this site, you will be able to search for Federal jobs by geographic location, have exclusive access to Avue's Career Choice Advisor, get useful information on special hiring authorities for veterans, learn how veterans' preference is used in the Federal hiring process, get tips on marketing your military experience, and a host of other information designed to address the special information needs of our country's veterans.

Jobs4Vets.com
A local employment site for job seekers and employers. Jobs4Vets offers the following tools for veterans to manage their career search: a job database, career email notifiers, a resume database and distribution, a career event calendar and a continuing education guide.

Veterans Today
A site bringing several veterans resources to one location, Veterans Today features news, forums, benefits, jobs and more. Updated regularly with career news, job fairs, resume services, transition resources, and a job search and resume posting feature.

Helmets to Hardhats
The Helmets to Hardhats program connects former military personnel with career opportunities in the construction trades nationwide. Candidates can access information about careers via the Helmets to Hardhats website. The profile they complete helps communicate to hiring managers the transferable skills they acquired during their military service.

RecruitMilitary
A nationwide, full-service, military to civilian recruiting firm. The site offers job search, career fair information, transition resources, job resources and resources for military spouses.

Other Employment Resources

America’s Career InfoNet
America’s Career InfoNet (ACINet) helps people make better, more informed career decisions. It is ideal for job seekers, employers, human resource specialists and workforce development specialists. From learning about typical wages and employment trends to checking education, knowledge, skills and abilities against requirements for most occupations, this site is your source to the most extensive set of career resources available on the Internet.

America’s Service Locator
America’s Service Locator (ASL) allows the customer to find the nearest location delivering valuable job, career and training assistance and information. The customer can print a map that shows the point-to-point directions for the selected service providers. Quickly and effectively connecting customers to America's Workforce Network’s services – from a broad national level down to local One-Stop offices or other service providers – is the top priority of ASL.

Career One Stop
The CareerOneStop is a suite of Web-based applications formerly known as America’s Career Kit. The CareerOneStop portal provides easy access to the features and tools of various job banks, Career InfoNet and Service Locator.

Federal Learning Exchange
One-stop electronic information center for federal employees, agencies and departments to gain the education, training and skills necessary to succeed in the rapidly changing workplace.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
The workplace of the 21st Century is open to everyone. JAN dispels misconceptions and provides one-on-one information about ADA job accommodations and the employability of people with disabilities through this site and its 1-800-ADA-WORK hotline.

Job-Hunt.org
A national organization that provides comprehensive employment services including job listings by state, on-line application capabilities, and information on state benefits for job seekers.

Monster.com
A comprehensive listing of employment opportunities nationwide. Job seekers can search for openings in most cities nationwide. There are also resume preparation services available.

CareerBuilder
Job search site with over 23 million unique visitors per month. CareerBuilder listings are also featured in print in over 150 newspapers, and on AOL and MSN. Allows users to search jobs in every industry, field and job type.