How to find veteran-friendly employment + use VA employment programs
Step-by-step guide to finding a job as a veteran. 5 paths: VA Veteran Employment Services (free job placement), federal civil service preference (5-10 points on exams), USAJOBS veteran tools, veteran-focused recruiters + job boards, state vocational rehabilitation programs.
What you'll need
- DD-214 (proof of service)
- Resume
- VA Veteran Employment Services account at va.gov
- USAJOBS account at usajobs.gov
- LinkedIn account (with veteran flag)
- Optional: VA disability rating (qualifies for VR&E + 10-point preference)
Step-by-step
Step 1: VA Veteran Employment Services (VES) — free job placement
Register for free job placement services at va.gov/careers-employment/job-search/. Includes resume review, interview prep, employer matching, and direct introductions. Service-connected disabled veterans automatically qualify for VR&E (Chapter 31) — see /api/v1/howto/access-vr-and-e.json — which provides MORE intensive job placement + retraining funding.
Reference: https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/job-search/
Step 2: Federal civil service veteran preference
Federal jobs apply veteran preference: 5-point preference for any veteran (Other-than-Dishonorable, served on active duty during qualifying period). 10-point preference for: combat-disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, service-connected disabled veterans, surviving spouses. Set veteran preference flag at usajobs.gov when applying. This dramatically improves your shortlisting odds for federal positions.
Reference: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/
Step 3: Veteran-focused private-sector job boards + recruiters
Hire Heroes USA (free coaching + placement), American Corporate Partners (1-on-1 mentorship from corporate leaders), VetJobs (50K+ veteran-friendly listings), Recruit Military (veteran job fairs), Veterati (1-on-1 mentorship from professionals), Vets in Tech (tech-specific). Most are free for veterans. Apply broadly — many corporations have veteran-hiring goals (Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, JPMorgan all publicly committed).
Step 4: State vocational rehabilitation programs
Every state runs a Vocational Rehabilitation program (separate from VR&E). Many states offer veteran-specific tracks: priority intake, additional funding, on-the-job training partnerships. Find your state's VR program via warriorsfund.org/state/{your-state}.
Step 5: Translate your military skills
Use the My Next Move for Veterans tool at mynextmove.org/vets/ to translate MOS / rate / AFSC into civilian job titles + projected salary ranges. Recruiters often miss veteran experience because resumes use military jargon. Translate it. Quantify it (e.g., "managed $5M of equipment" not "S-4 Logistics NCO").
Critical tips
- Federal veteran preference is automatic — but you MUST flag it on the USAJOBS application. Skipping the flag forfeits the preference.
- For service-connected disabled veterans, VR&E (Ch 31) is more generous than GI Bill for vocational training. Most veterans default to GI Bill — check VR&E first.
- LinkedIn veteran-flag: turn on "veteran" status in your profile. Many recruiters filter for veterans, and it triggers veteran-specific job recommendations.
- Translate military jargon — recruiters often skip resumes with "OEF" / "MEPS" / "S-3" / "AFSC" / "MOS". Convert to civilian language.