New Website Helps Vets Find Jobs, Employers Search Resumes

Myriad employment resources already available to veterans should be more manageable at a new website that also will host a database of resumes for employers seeking to hire vets, transitioning service members or their spouses.

The Veterans Employment Center, announced Wednesday by First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, includes a resume builder and a military skills translator, according to a White House press release. It will allow employers to use either LinkedIn or a Google profile to run specific resume searches to find the precise skills they're seeking. It will also help employers track their progress toward veteran hiring goals.

Only employers verified by VA as registered with the Internal Revenue Service will be able to view applicants’ names and email addresses, the White House said.

The tool -- built with open data and an open application programming interface -- is the result of cooperation between the Veterans Affairs Department and the Defense, Education and Labor departments, as well as the Office of Personnel Management -- the USAJobs program, in particular, the White House said.

Of the 195,000 new employees hired by the executive branch in 2012, about 56,000 -- more than a quarter -- were veterans, OPM Director Katherine Archuleta said.  

Speaking at the anniversary celebration for the Joining Forces initiative, Obama cited her husband's line that after fighting for their country, veterans shouldn't have to fight for a job.

“Starting today, every single service member, every veteran, and every military family will have access to a new online tool that will revolutionize how you find jobs in both the public and private sectors. All you have to do is log on to ebenefits.va.gov.”

Below is a video tutorial on how to use the site.