Digital Resource Guide

Hire

Some examples and best practices seen executed in the existing MSEEZ are:

• Identify Local Employers to commit to Hiring Our Heroes initiatives.
• Conduct informational interviews for job seeking military spouses.
  • Work with the MSPN Leads in your area to connect with military spouses.
  • Talk about your company, the culture, your role, types of positions, etc.
  • Keep in mind that you are also trying to connect them to opportunities not just in your company but others in the community as well.
• Support Hiring Our Heroes Hiring Events with your company’s participation, including:
  • Grassroots Recruitment Opportunity Workshops (GROW)- grassroots recruitment opportunities highlighting the collaboration between military spouses and military spouse-ready employers. GROW can be virtual or in person events.
  • Military Spouse Networking Receptions – More informal opportunities for military spouses to interact with employers, Networking Receptions sponsored at partner companies are an invaluable way for both groups to make meaningful employment connections.
  • Military Spouse Hiring Events- Combining a hiring fair with workshops specifically for military spouses, Hiring Events offer military spouse-ready employers the chance to engage directly with military spouse talent both virtually and/or at installations across the U.S.

Train

Provide professional development training to military spouses.

• Conduct and host informal professional development discussions in person or virtual.
• Support the MSPN in your area by attending monthly workshops, giving a presentation, hosting a MSPN event, and ensuring that working group members join the MSPN LinkedIn page.
• Commit to reviewing resumes for military spouses- resumes submitted by MSPN Leads.
• Host an informal “office hour” and allow local military spouses to schedule a time to chat with you and have their resume reviewed.
• Host a training for hiring managers and applicable staff on military spouse resumes and the business case for hiring a military spouse.
• Present at your local chamber the economic impact of military spouse employment.
• Develop a list of SME’s from the Working Group and your network who will commit to a one on one (via phone or video chat) mentoring session with a military spouse attending Hiring Our Heroes AMPLIFY Workshop. AMPLIFY is a two-day career intensive workshop for military spouses where participants engage with other career-minded professionals and employer partners who instruct breakout sessions. At some locations, AMPLIFY is coupled with Career Summits to ensure attendees can meet directly with hiring managers.

Advocate

• Identify new employers in your area and invite them to join the Working Group.
• Recruit employers to host fellows for the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Fellowship Program (MSFP), if in your area. MSFP is a first of its kind initiative that provides military spouses with professional training, networking, and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce.
• Use your business and professional associations to talk about military spouses (SHRM, business leader group). Write, present, and share data on military spouse employment and the economic impact of hiring military spouses.
• Attend local chamber meetings (most have Military Advisory Committees) on behalf of MSEEZ.
• Work with the local chamber to identify employment challenges faced by military spouses and implement local solutions, leveraging the local MSPN to support efforts.
• Encourage states to prioritize military spouse hiring.

Hiring Our Heroes has developed designation levels to help each working group break down priorities to meet the working group where they are on their journey. By supporting the “Advocate, Hire, and Train” model, MSEEZ locations will receive the following benefits:

• Designation badge for their MSEEZ page on the Hiring Our Heroes website
• Recognition via social media marketing materials
• Badge in email signature block

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