VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT RESOURCES YOU CAN USE TO SECURE YOUR NEXT JOB

Unemployment is a challenge many Veterans are facing with the recent federal workforce cuts and hiring freezes. As of late, the federal workforce has seen a number of changes, and the future can look murky. With that uncertainty, Veterans may find themselves either out of work or considering a new career. With federal hiring freezes, fork in the road options, and many either contracted federal workers or new federal employees finding themselves out of work, it can make finding a new job feel even more stressful.

Luckily, there are resources for Veterans who are either considering a career change or need to find a new job because they were laid off due to federal workforce cuts.

While the Veteran unemployment rate has continued to stay low, the future is uncertain. But thankfully, for those who have lost their job already, there are resources that can help. In this article, we will discuss what Veterans need to know about the current hiring environment, tools you can use, and other resources available.

The Office of Personnel Management Releases New Guidance from the Federal Government

Merit Hiring Plan

On May 29, 2025, the federal government laid out a plan for the future of the federal workforce.

In the memorandum, Vince Haley (Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy) and Charles Ezell (Acting Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management) outline a plan on how the federal government will meet Executive Order 14710, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service.

In the memo, 7 goals are laid out, as directed by President Trump. They are as follows:

• Prioritize the recruitment of individuals who want to increase the efficiency of the federal government, and are committed to upholding the US Constitution.
• Prevent the hiring of individuals based on their race, sex, or religion. Prevent the hiring of individuals unwilling to defend the Constitution.
• Implement technical and alternative assessments as required by the Chance to Compete Act of 2024.
• Decrease government-wide time-to-hire under 80 days.
• Improve communication with candidates to provide more clarity on application status, timelines, feedback, etc.
• Integrate modern technology to support the recruitment and selection process.
• Ensure Department and Agency leadership are actively implementing new processes and throughout the full hiring process.

Performance Plan

On June 17, 2025, a memorandum from Ezell expanded on President Trump's goal to transform the federal government workforce.

The memo discusses establishing a high-performance workplace culture that rewards strong performance, and swiftly addresses those who do not perform, including termination.

It also details a few key changes including:

• Ending the inflation of employee performance ratings.
• Employers must establish clear expectations for the employee.
• Supervisors must perform regular performance check-ins.
• OPM must create a schedule policy/career.
• Agencies have more flexibility in terminating probationary or trial period employees who fail to adequately perform.

Federal Hiring Freeze Exemptions

Kristen Ross, Federal Program Manager for Hiring Heroes USA, shared that even under the current hiring freeze, the federal government is still hiring.

She said, “We still see active announcements, there are announcements out there that they are recruiting for. We have seen people be hired into the federal government. It doesn’t mean the doors are slammed shut by any means.”

Those looking for a federal job need to be aware of the limited opportunities, and be on the look out for the positions that are open.

For example, the VA recently announced over 100 positions that were added to the list of exempt positions from the hiring freeze.

The best thing is to watch USAjobs.gov to see when new positions open up.

How Can Veterans Best Position Themselves to Secure Employment?

The most important things Veterans need to do when looking for a new position is to ensure they can speak the language and can translate their skills.

Kristen shared about the importance of translating skills stating, “There are so many great skills that you learn and there are a lot of great things you take after the military. It is about translating them. Yeah, some of the industries are very niche, but the skills are great and there is a lot of transferability in most of them.”

Another great tool is discussing one on one with someone about options for their future career.

Kristen shared, “All jobs are different and unique and having that one on one support and being able to tailor it to what you are looking for. A lot of things that come up are that you don’t know what you are looking for and having someone to direct you through different options or different avenues to gain information is invaluable.”

Not only do they have the experience and expertise in writing resumes and knowing what employers are looking for, but they often have a direct connection to the military community.

What Tools Are Available for Veterans?

There are several free tools available for Veterans even after they leave the military. Examples of these tools include:

• The Veteran and Military Transition Center where you can connect with employment services and jobs that specifically use the skills you learned in the military. You can also get help searching for jobs, and getting copies of your military records.
• Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) helps Veterans find employment resources. You can also get advice on how to protect your employment rights.
• Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) helps service members who are about to be discharged with job seeking skills, such as resume writing, to help with their transition into the civilian workforce.
• Hire Our Heroes provides a number of services to help Veterans, military members, and their spouses meet their employment goals. They provide free, personalized job search assistance services.

Two actions that Dan Goldenberg, President of the Call of Duty Endowment, sees results from are professional resume creation services and professional interview coaching.

He adds, “Veterans should NEVER pay for these services—that’s on us, as we fund the best organizations in the U.S. that do this work. The data is clear: when Veterans get the right support, they can flourish.”

A Career Change Isn’t Always Bad

When discussing a possible career change, Kristen pointed out, “Your career isn’t a one time decision. So, because you have picked federal previously means that you are only tied to that type of career track.”

Kristen says Veterans should focus on the skills they have learned not only from their military career but also from their time after the military.

She encourages Veterans to think about, and answer, the following questions:

1. What are the skills you are developing?
2. How are you able to apply them?
3. Are you able to think dynamically in these situations, and how can you articulate that to a future employer?

There are so many opportunities out there, and while losing your job and having to figure out what is next can feel overwhelming, Veterans do not have to do it alone. There are a number of resources available to help you find the next opportunity.

Your Job Search Resource List

Below is a list of useful resources that you might want to consult as you look for your next job opportunity.

Federal Unemployment Office: You can find information about unemployment benefits you may qualify for. There may be Veteran unemployment benefits available at the federal or state level as well.

Hire Heroes USA: A non-profit that provides free career coaching, resume assistance, and job search support for Veterans and military families.

Hiring Our Heroes: A U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation program with the goal of helping Veterans find meaningful employment.

RecruitMilitary: A recruiting company that focuses on connecting Veterans and military spouses with civilian job opportunities primarily through job fairs across the country.

VetJobs: A Department of Veteran Affairs run online platform with job postings. Here, employers can advertise job openings to Veterans.

LinkedIn: Creating a LinkedIn profile is a great way to network with other Veterans and find your next career. LinkedIn also offers LinkedIn premium accounts to Veterans for a year.

Clearance Jobs: For those leaving the military with a security clearance, Clearance Jobs is a great resource for connecting with cleared agencies for your next position.

Suggested reads:

• The Best Career Options for Vets With an Administration and Recruitment MOS
• How Vets Can Find Civilian Public Service Jobs That Fit Their MOS
• So You Slept Through Your Transition Assistance Program...Now What?