Christopher Kerney wants veterans to find a job.
That is, officially, his job.
But as the director of public relations and marketing for MilitaryVetJobs.com, he is concerned not just for veterans’ employment status, but their well-being.
As MilitaryVetJobs.com reaches out to military and veteran organizations to enlist employers he is also compiling a list of resources he can lead veterans to for help with medical issues, home purchases and financial difficulties.
“When I go to a recruiting event, finding them a job is number one but making sure there is a way for their family to be safe or deal with some of these difficult financial issues is really important,” Kerney said. “We partner with other organizations so we can give veterans a full range of tools to use as resources.”
From its inception, MilitaryVetJobs.com has always been focused on helping people.
The website, created by a Navy veteran, began as a place for a diverse pool of candidates to find work, without fear of facing bias due to their sexual orientation, gender, race or physical disability. Soon, the veteran population was overwhelming the site and it became clear the site could be used to specifically serve the needs of military job seekers.
Now, MilitaryVetJobs.com specifically serves all veterans, spouses and military children in search of work. Currently, 193,000 resumes have been uploaded to the site and the page boasts 90,000 unique visitors every month.
But, the staff at MilitaryVetJobs.com does more than urge companies to look over the thousands of resumes they’ve collected. They are also selling veterans to potential employers as the ultimate employee.
“Our sales team is constantly out there not just getting groups to sign up, but they are explaining the benefits of hiring vets,” Kerney said.
Benefits that include impressive technical skills, acting as a team player, working well under stress and focusing on the project at hand, rather than the clock on the wall, Kerney said.
“Veterans are reliable employees in so many ways,” Kerney said.
In some cases, Kerney said, his team has to break down any fears employers may have of hiring a veteran who returns from combat with PTSD or other post battle issues.
“These men and women have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom,” Kerney said. “It is time we turn around and give them the respect they deserve and try to help them.”
