Warriors of the Workplace: Eighty Five Percent of American Veterans Land their First Post-Service Civilian Job within Six Months

New Spherion Study Finds that Military Members Increasingly are Prepared and Eager to Enter the Civilian Workforce

ATLANTA – November 9, 2017 — As the Veterans’ Day holiday approaches, many American service men and women either are preparing for or reflecting upon their transition into civilian life, namely in regards to their post-service career. However, as the latest WorkSphere survey from Spherion Staffing found, veterans’ acclimation to the modern workforce may not be as challenging as long believed. In fact, former military members are taking proactive strides to ensure they can thrive immediately after leaving their post.

According to the Spherion survey, conducted online in October 2017 with global market research data organization Research Now®, more than four in five (86 percent) veterans landed their first post-service civilian job within six months of concluding their military tenure. Beyond simply landing “a job,” the data also shows that most of these veterans found “the right job,” with more than half (59 percent) remaining in their first civilian role for at least two years.

Veterans’ immediate workplace successes appear to be the result of diligent preparation, including juggling career planning with service duties. Spherion found that veterans are not wasting time pursuing a position - more than one-third (36 percent) began searching for their first post-service job while still enrolled, with a nearly equal number (33 percent) saying they did so immediately after their service completed. More encouraging is that most of these veterans exited their military role with a specific plan in mind. Fifty-two percent said they knew which career path they wanted to pursue after their service, with 90 percent expressing confidence in their ability to achieve it.

While veterans are enthusiastic to start a new career, many opt – at least initially – to remain in their comfort zone. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of reintegrating veterans say they prefer their first civilian job to feature skills at least “somewhat related” to those of their military role. Additionally, 38 percent say they did not complete any special job training or additional education before entering the workforce. Despite the threat of a skills gap, service men and women trust that they can succeed once they get in the door – more than three-fourths (80 percent) feel the intangible skills they learned during service will allow them to successfully adapt to their job even if their professional skills need refinement.

Spherion also found that enhanced efforts from companies to recruit and hire veterans have been critical to this smooth transition to the workforce. However, many veterans still welcome and see room for additional professional assistance. Only 32 percent say that their current company offers formal training or workplace assistance programs for veterans, with a far greater number (59 percent) expressing interest in taking advantage of such programs if they were made available. Veterans also see great opportunities for their peers to enjoy even greater success by improving their personal branding. Among core job search skills, veterans believe they and their cohorts could use the greatest help with resume development (47 percent) and interviewing (43 percent).

“More businesses recognize the diverse range of experiences and skills veterans can bring to their team, and are ramping up their efforts to recruit and onboard this growing workforce segment,” said Sandy Mazur, Spherion Division President. “While the initial successes veterans enjoy as they reenter the workforce are encouraging, business leaders and HR teams must continuously find ways to ensure that these workers can develop their skills and achieve personal and professional growth long-term.”

Spherion also found that reintegrating veterans at least are intrigued about how external resources can help them achieve even bigger dreams. While less than one-third (32 percent) say they currently are interested in someday owning their own business, a higher number (50 percent) say they would consider pursuing that option if a company offered incentives for veteran owners.

For the October 2017 WorkSphere survey, Spherion and Research Now polled more than 1,000 U.S. military veterans up to 20 years removed from their last military stint. The survey explores the areas where veterans both are successful and need additional assistance as they reenter the working world.

As part of its Veterans’ Day commemoration, Spherion explored the career paths and perspectives of its franchise owners who previously served in the military. To view these insights, click here. For more information about Spherion franchising programs and incentives specifically available for veterans, visit spherion.com/franchise/the-opportunity/veterans.

About Spherion Staffing Services
Spherion (spherion.com) is a leading recruiting and staffing provider, specializing in temporary and direct hire placement of administrative, clerical, customer service, light industrial and professional job candidates. To help clients attract, engage and retain a high-performance workforce, Spherion offers in-depth market knowledge, outstanding customer service, a strong network of talent and unique insights from its groundbreaking Emerging Workforce® Study, now in its 20th year. As an industry pioneer, Spherion has, for more than 70 years, matched candidates to clients in virtually every industry across the U.S. Today, each Spherion office is independently owned and operated by a team of local specialists, dedicated to delivering great experiences, powered by technology but always with a personal touch. To learn more about one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries, visit spherion.com/franchise and explore how Spherion is actively expanding into new territories, with more than 75 franchise markets available.

About Research Now 
Research Now Group, Inc., is the global leader in digital research data for better insights and business decisions. Founded in 1999, the company is a pioneer in online data sampling and created the first B2B panel. The company provides world-class research data solutions that enable better decisions and better results for its 3,000 market research, consulting, media, and corporate clients through access to over 11 million deeply-profiled business professionals and consumers in more than 40 countries. Research Now operates globally with locations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, and is recognized as the quality, scale, and customer satisfaction leader in the market research industry. For more information, please go to www.researchnow.com.

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