Veterans face many challenges when they return to civilian life. They are not only faced with the emotions that come with culture shock, but many suffer from psychological issues as well. These struggles prove especially challenging for those suffering Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Unfortunately, veterans have a higher unemployment rate than their civilian colleagues. Despite the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP), veterans returning to civilian culture are ultimately responsible for their own behavior and preservation. They must re-learn to socialize themselves for living and working in mainstream society.
The good news for both veterans and employers is that once a veteran successfully integrates back into the civilian culture, gets comfortable in the workplace setting, and is able to work through issues with PTSD (if they are present), they are an amazing asset to any company with the strong leadership skills they learned in the military.
How Can We Make The Transition Easier for Veterans?
Here are some ways we, at HH Staffing Services, support Florida veterans who are transiting back into the workforce:
1) We Work With Numerous Clients Who Give Priority to Military Veterans
Many of our clients offer temporary positions, which allow veterans to explore new and different opportunities and industries. Holding a temporary position can open doors for veterans and help them to rebuild their confidence in the workforce. We have lots of positions available in construction, factories, and call centers where veterans can utilize the mechanical, communication and building skills they learned in the field.
2) We Honor Veterans and Their Families
We are extremely empathetic to both veterans and their families. We understand the trials and tribulations they go through, and what they had to sacrifice. Some of our employees come from military families, and the company’s owner, Karen Rehn, has three children who are actively serving. Our Fort Lauderdale Recruiter, Leticia Rivera, is involved with Wounded Warriors, as both her spouse and her son were deployed in 2009 and 2010. The military is still very much a part of their family’s daily life. We believe that employers need to be more open and try and translate their skills into day to day activities. “We owe them,” Leticia has said, “We don’t give them enough thanks. It’s all about giving back.” Since veterans put themselves in harm’s way to serve and protect our country, shouldn’t they have priority when it comes to employment?
3) We Skill Market Veterans Based On Their Knowledge and Discipline
We recognize how important a veteran’s skill set can be, as their military training proves they are dedicated, able to learn quickly, work in groups, and successfully accomplish a mission as a team. In the military, honesty and loyalty are virtues. Veterans generally have a great work ethic, they work well under pressure, and they are excellent planners. They are eager to work, organized, structured, dependable, technical, analytical, and detailed oriented. These skills are easily transferable to many positions in the workforce.
4) We Are Participating in Two Upcoming Job Fairs Specifically Geared Toward Veterans!
The first one is the North Sarasota County Job Fair, which is Thursday, November 5th from 9am – 6pm at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th Street, Sarasota. The second one is the Paychecks for Patriots job fair, which will be held on Tuesday, November 10th from 9am – 12pm at Goodwill Manasota, 2715 51st Avenue East, Bradenton, FL. We look forward to seeing you at both events!
For more information about our service, please visit our website at www.hhstaffingservices.com. Also, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for updates on our latest jobs.
