Give Thanks; Give Back - 5 Veteran Hiring Companies

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During the holidays, our emotional, appreciative side tends to make its grand entrance. We become nostalgic, say "thank you" like it's a seasonal fad, and we eat, boy do we eat. However, this season, a new tradition has started that isn't merely trending or posing to be seasonal. This holiday season, we've seen a huge investment in veteran hiring. Many companies are coming out of the woodwork with plans and programs designated to hire and thank our veterans. In honor of these companies giving back to our courageous veterans, SourceCast would like to give an honorable salute to these inspiring companies.

According to Fortune Magazine, here are the top 5 Fortune 500 companies making a difference with veteran hiring:

1. JP Morgan Chase: Back in 2011, JP Morgan and a number of other companies initiated the 100,000 Jobs Mission. Already, 117,000 vets have been hired through the program. Now, JP Morgan is increasing the goal to 200,000 veterans. We salute you, JP Morgan!
2. Disney: In March of 2012, Disney started their program, "Heroes Work Here." The goal was to hire 1,000 veterans by 2015. That goal was met in the program's first year. Now, their goal is 2,000 vets by 2015. We salute you, Disney!
3. Starbucks: With a CEO dedicated to the veteran cause, Starbucks has made a commitment to hire at least 10,000 veterans and current military spouses by 2018. Talk about one hot cup of dedication. Starbucks, we salute you!
4. Capital One Financial: Capital One launched its program “Hiring 500,000 Heroes” and donated $4.5 million to fund the initiative. The program is dedicated to matching qualified veterans and military spouses with local small business opportunities. We salute you, Capital One!
5. Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen has long celebrated veterans. Currently, an estimated 1/3 of the Booz Allen workforce consists of veterans. Booz Allen provides a multitude of veteran accommodations such as: the ability to work remotely, leave and return strategies for reserve soldiers, support groups for spouses, and disability accommodations. Booz Allen, we salute you!

Whether you're a large or small company, have billions in revenue or nothing at your disposal, let's all find our holiday spirit and help those who have unselfishly helped us in ways we cannot imagine. Veteran hiring is so crucial, and not because it's right or we have regulations to uphold, but this talent pool is more apt to the job than many even realize. This holiday season let's all give thanks; and give back.

Source: Fortune

Arizona ILG Has Been a Blast

For those of you who didn't know, SourceCast has had the incredible opportunity to help sponsor the current Arizona ILG conference.

Arizona ILG Proud Sponsor

We have to tell you, it's been an honor to be able to sponsor a conference such as this. It's incredible to be able to participate in what this organization is trying to do, as well as take part in the greater role of promoting affirmative action and good hiring practices.

Arizona ILG Proud Presenter

Our very own Lilly gave a presentation earlier today on compliance best practices which was also a huge honor for us. Sure, we sell compliance solutions, but it was a truly unique experience to be able to publicly do what we do best: advise companies on not only how to comply, but how to make their compliance efforts work for them in recruitment and hiring. So, for all who were there, we hope you enjoyed the presentation!

Now to everyone, whether you're in Arizona at the Arizona ILG conference or not, we hope you have a terrific weekend! Until next week!

Veterans Day: There's More Work to Be Done

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We got a little excited when we learned, leading up to this past Veterans Day, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the past year had seen a decline in the unemployment rate of veterans from 7 to 6.5%. Unfortunately, this is still noticeably higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.8%. Therefore, as the holiday season is just on the horizon, sparking in us a generosity to towards humanity, may we not ignore a deep gratitude toward our veterans. What do we mean? Allow the meaning of this past Veterans Day to resonate with you as you're heavily focused on end of the year recruitment. Veterans are the perfect hires for so many more reasons than you may realize.

We've been in the business of distributing jobs for veterans for quite some time now. So, we tend to hear through the grapevine about the success our customers have had. Constantly, we hear how their new veteran recruits:

• Take initiative: Under high pressure constantly, vets understand the need to start and complete tasks with the least amount of collateral interference.
• Are excellent contributors: Vets are keenly aware of the concept of teamwork and how important that is to complete tasks at hand.
• Maintain excellent attendance: Veterans are trained to perform in any condition and circumstance, and excuses for absence or poor performance are unusual for this group.
• Are technologically savvy: Vets are trusted with some of the most cutting edge technology in the world, with many fields interrelated, training is easier with this group.
• Learn and adapt quickly: In combat situations, there's no time to waste. Veterans are quick learners, light on their feet, and quite flexible to adjust to their environments.

This feedback provides a glimpse into workforces that hire veterans. Our veterans have been unwaveringly deployed into battle for us, so let’s have some faith and show our gratitude by continuing to lower the veteran unemployment rate, and allowing our vets to show us even more of what they're made of in our workplaces.

Source: TLNT

Labor Day and the Ability to Work

As we continue to fill our coworkers in on our recent Labor Day festivities, have we had a chance to really consider what Labor Day means? Sure, don't get us wrong, we love the retail sales, the BBQs, and the prospect of an extra day waking up without the dreaded alarm clock as much as anyone else. However, Labor Day has other conscious and subliminal meanings that are far more important.

The History of Labor Day

For you history buffs, the Department of Labor cites the beginning of Labor Day as September 5, 1882. The intent was and is to celebrate the labor movement and the achievements and efforts of American workers. So, for most of you reading this, please give yourselves a nice pat on the back for your contributions to the working progress of our country. But, Labor Day should also be a day to acknowledge those who are less fortunate than us. This day should beg us to acknowledge those who aren't lucky enough to have jobs to feed themselves or their families, or jobs to solidify his or her place in society, or for those unemployed who can't bear to face their landlord knowing their inability to provide payment means eviction and homelessness. You see, this is the part that gets lost in translation.

Labor Day's Grim Reality

It's with a heavy heart, we point you to an article on SHRM's WeKnowNext blog, which released data for the unemployed. According to the article, 10 million people are currently unemployed. Of those 10 million, 638,000 of those unemployed are veterans. And the list just goes on and on with daunting, heart-wrenching statistics. Reading these numbers, you cannot help but to take off your party hat and ponder the reality of today's workforce. While it's amazing the lengths we gone to and the hurdles we've overcome, there is still so much more to do. Recruitment may mean something more than ever now. Are you ready to create the change and opportunity that we all deserve?

As you continue enjoying the recent memories or food and friends, also ponder ways to employ some of these unemployed workers such as veterans. We'll give you a little tip, some of the best recruitment resources are niche sites and organizations. No, we're not just saying that because it's our business to say that, but over 10% and counting of employers are raving of the quality of applicants they receive through niche sites such as organizations with connections to veteran and disability applicants. However, if you're currently content with your workforce, keep in mind these job seekers during a time of festivities, and cheers to a shortened workweek!

Source: WeKnowNext Blog

Millennials, the Military, and Denials

What do millennials, the military, and denials all have to do with one another? Well, according to reports from the Pentagon, 71% of military applicants are denied entry into all U.S. branches of the military. Typically, simultaneous military branch cutbacks result in 70% of applicants being weeded out as each branch is allowed to be increasingly more selective. In and of itself, this 1% is not news, however, coupled with the fact that 21% of all military applicants are high school dropouts, contributing to the increased turn away rate, this is indicative of a real problem.

Uneducated Millennials?

However, education isn't the only culprit in the military's selectivity. Things like weight, drug use, psychological abnormalities, and even new tattoo and piercing regulations play a hand in denying young applicants. Gone are the days where the military caught your career fall. Joining the military is as hard as obtaining any job in today's job market. Speaking of job market, along with the difficulties that millennials are finding in joining our military, the job market has also plagued this generation as the hardest hit in noncombatant unemployment. So, what do our youth do in these times of employment crisis?

Advice Regarding Millennials

Undeniably, the first words of wisdom would be to complete the highest education curriculum, abstain from the potentially harmful party scene, and be mindful of career-hindering body art. Also, recognize the untapped resource of our national workforce professionals. These professionals' jobs revolve around finding jobs for others! Hence, employers, reach out to your local employment centers to locate all the top talent that is irrefutably out there, especially our veterans and military applicants. These nationwide employment centers are an answer to increased unemployment rates as well as enable employers to find the most well-equipped talent, locally.

Source: USmilitary.com