The Secret Talent Pool of Hiring Veterans with Jerri Rosen of Working Wardrobes

Today's Guest: Jerri Rosen, Founder & CEO of Working Wardrobes

Jerri’s organization helps over 5,000 men, women, veterans and young adults each year re-enter the workforce with career development services and professional wardrobing.

Today we are discussing:

• The hidden gem that is the veteran pool
• How to find and hire veterans to diversify your talent pool

Why Companies don't actively seek to hire veterans?

• Bias
• Think they all have ptsd
• Not knowing the value of the training that vets get in the military
• Not knowing the true value
• Too much bad press 
• Painting with a brush that is very negative
• Vets fall on hard times because they miss the discipline/brotherhood

Why is this important to the company to hire veterans?

• Intense loyalty, when treated with dignity
• Absolutely mission driven
• Path of a veteran
• Make outstanding employees
• Can help recruit -underground network

How do we find and hire veteran talent? Decide to hire outside your comfort zone

• Outstanding, dedicated people

Finding Vets

• Active duty national guard or reserves (highly under employed)
• Vet spouses, 
• Military connection through working wardrobes, on your own
• Vetnet team

Interviewing & Hiring 

• Understand a MOS- military status
  • Translate what was done in the military to civilian language
  • Look past the acronyms
• Look for the passion & talents 
• Experience & gravity of the work 
• Look past the stoic demeanor
• Recognize that task at hand/orders need to shift to a “going above and beyond” mindset
  • Requires a bit of patience 
• Hire as normal
• Understand that everything was provided for them in the military
• Learning to operate in a very different world & culture
• Different level of expectations 

Rick’s Nuggets

• Dig deeper on what work was done and look for transferable skills to justify 

Key Takeaways:

• Veterans become a much better employee 
• Veterans also bring a network of additional talent
• Looking to hire veterans, WW can be the one stop shop. Hidden Talent Pool!

Working Wardrobes is Rebuilding Careers, and we’ve teamed up with Hire Power Radio Show & Podcast to support this initiative.

The Hire Power Radio team has created limited edition shirts, the proceeds of which benefit Working Wardrobes. Together we can make a small dent in reeducating, coaching and providing resources for our transitioning veterans, professionals and workers affected by the current world landscape.

Get yours here: T-shirts

Guest Contact:

Website: Working Wardrobes

Office Number: 714-210-2460