Veteran unemployment fell to 3.4% in August 2026, down from 4.2% in July and below the national rate of 4.1%, according to Syracuse University’s D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families.
That’s great news for veterans. For employers, it’s a signal: experienced veteran talent gets hired quickly, and companies without a deliberate approach are likely missing out.
At the same time, the transition from military to civilian work remains hard for many, especially early in their careers. In June, IVMF reported that veterans ages 18 to 24 faced 17.4% unemployment, compared with 9.1% for nonveterans the same age. Often the gap isn’t skill. It’s translation.
With Veterans Day on November 11, here’s a practical playbook for employers who want to recruit and keep veteran talent.
Why veterans are worth the effort
Veterans bring hard-to-teach skills: leading teams under pressure, following and improving complex procedures, handling sensitive information, and owning the outcome. Many also bring hands-on technical training in IT, communications, electronics, logistics, and maintenance. We’ve written about this in depth in Essential Skills That Veterans Bring to Tech Roles and Veterans: Transforming America’s Tech Scene.
Six steps to hire veterans well
- Translate your requirements. Look at each job’s must-haves. Is a four-year degree truly required, or would years of hands-on technical experience and a security clearance do the job? Tools like My Next Move for Veterans let you search by military occupation to find matching civilian roles.
- Write job posts that speak to veterans. Name the skills you want in plain terms (leading a team of 10, maintaining critical systems, managing equipment inventory) instead of corporate jargon. Mention any veteran resources, employee groups, or support for Guard and Reserve members.
- Interview for skills, not vocabulary. Many veterans describe their work in military terms that don’t map neatly to a civilian job description. Ask behavioral questions (“Tell me about a time a mission plan changed at the last minute”) and listen for the skill behind the acronym. Train interviewers to do the same.
- Build onboarding that supports the transition. Structure and clarity matter. Give new hires a clear picture of who decides what, how success is measured, and who to go to with questions. A mentor or a veteran employee resource group can make the first 90 days much smoother.
- Use the programs that already exist.
- DoD SkillBridge lets service members in their final months of service train or intern with civilian employers while still receiving military pay. It’s a low-risk way to get to know future hires.
- The HIRE Vets Medallion Program, run by the U.S. Department of Labor, recognizes employers that recruit, employ, and retain veterans at gold and platinum levels across small, medium, and large employers.
- Check the current status of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit with your tax advisor. Historically, it has offered credits for hiring eligible veterans.
- Don’t forget military spouses. Frequent moves make it hard for military spouses to build a career, and many bring strong professional skills. Remote and hybrid roles can be a great fit. Read more in Hiring Military Spouses in Tech.
Partner with people who’ve served
Hiring veterans well is easier when the people doing the recruiting understand military experience firsthand. That’s the idea behind SSi People’s ServiceStrong Veterans Program: veteran recruiters who translate military skills into civilian qualifications, plus ongoing support after placement through our PeopleCare team and partnerships with organizations like Veterans Bridge Home.
For employers, that means veteran candidates vetted by someone who knows what their experience really means, and set up to succeed from day one.
Ready to add veteran talent to your team? Talk to our team about your open roles.