Home Depot isn’t new to hiring veterans. The company is one of the largest private employers of veterans in the United States. Still, it faces the same problems that plague companies parsing through job candidates in an uneasy economy: figuring out how to bring returning war heroes into a civilian world that doesn’t really understand what working in the military means.

You said:

Try to get your Associates (degree) before getting out, because if life gets in the way of your Bachelors, you’re going to have to check the “High School” education level box.– Danny Bigelow

It’s a shame that our vets have to accept low-paying employment at big boxes like Home Depot, Walmart, McDonald’s and Target. … Congress and the 4-star perfumed princes in the Pentagon should hang their heads in shame.– Richard Dickson

Adjust your mind-set and attack the objective. … It is solely on an individual to attain greatness, and no one ever who has been great has gotten there easily.– Lawrence “Larry” Henson

Get away from the entitlement mentality. Veterans make up less than 1% of the population and I have learned that no one really cares about your service. Especially if they do not think you will produce for them once employed.– tospeakthetruth

If they (HR workers) don’t know what a veteran means on their resume, it’s their job to find out. After all, it’s their job to find the most qualified candidate. That’s what Home Depot pays them for.-- K-man9

A Bronze Star for destroying the enemy means nothing at Walmart. However, an Achievement Medal (i,e “Recognized by leadership”) for finding discrepancies in supply accountability procedures saving $500k looks a lot better. – Tony Evernham

While I do think there are employers that could stand to learn a bit more about the military culture, there are also Veterans that assume employers know what being in the military is all about. Common ground is the answer.– efmbman

Sounds like many of the smaller companies could benefit greatly by hiring ONE veteran first -- in the HR department -- and allow that veteran to begin searching for other veteran candidates who may fit the future job openings. – Renee Reid Torres

Veterans are seeing what we saw during Vietnam. Much of the public sees you as losers who could only join the military, chumps for serving and a time bomb waiting to go off.-- clearspot

“Looking to hire vets” does not equate to “showing favoritism in hiring for un- or under-qualified vets.” Every person, vets included, has to put in effort and show why exactly they’re qualified and should be considered/hired.– EZBRZY

No employer is going to bend over backward to help someone that’s not willing to help themselves. If you you can’t articulate your ideas and qualifications on paper, then you’re probably not even qualified to push a broom.– fridaysmyday

The biggest problem is unrealistic expectations. … Sorry, but Colonel does not equal District Manager any more than it equals school principal or dentist. … This is not a matter of poor resume scanning software. It is a problem of artificially inflated self-image. The real world does not hand out medals, ribbons and certificates like kindergarten star stickers. In the real world, you get paid for performance, not breathing and showing up in a pressed set of pajamas every day.– Robert Johnson

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