Women veterans’ unemployment hits 6.1%, double the rate for men who served

The jobs report most people skimmed in October carried a hard number for women who served: 6.1% of women veterans in the labor force were unemployed in September, more than double the 3% rate for male veterans.

The gap is growing. A year earlier, the unemployment rate for women veterans was 4.6%, according to figures compiled by the Hidden Barriers newsletter from federal labor data.

One month does not make a trend. Monthly estimates for small groups swing more than the headline rate, so watch the next few reports before drawing conclusions. But the direction matches what women veterans describe: military experience that does not translate on a résumé, caregiving that limits job searches, and a transition system built mostly around men.

Your network is your best weapon. Most jobs are filled through referrals before they ever reach a job board, and women veterans are an underused network. The woman who got out three years before you already knows which employers value service, how to frame your experience and who is hiring. A referral from her gets your résumé read by a person instead of a filter.

There is targeted help. The U.S. Small Business Administration funds a Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program through nonprofit partners, and its Veterans Business Outreach Centers offer free counseling. Universities are stepping in too: In April, the Center for Women Entrepreneurs at Texas Woman’s University awarded $5,000 grants to five women veterans building businesses across Texas.

Your action plan this week:

1. Make a list of 10 women veterans you served with or know. Message each one: tell her what kind of role you want and ask who she knows. Be specific; “I’m looking for operations manager roles in health care” gets you further than “I’m job hunting.”

   Your network is your best weapon.

2. Join a women veterans group. National networks such as the Women Veterans Alliance, plus local chapters and your state’s women veterans coordinator, host events where hiring managers show up.

3. Get a mentor. American Corporate Partners pairs post-9/11 veterans with professionals at major companies for a free yearlong mentorship. Hiring Our Heroes runs career fairs and fellowships for transitioning service members and spouses.

4. Fix your LinkedIn. List your branch and service years, rewrite each role as civilian results, such as budgets managed, teams led and outcomes delivered, and turn on “open to work” for recruiters only.

5. Ask for informational interviews, not jobs. Fifteen minutes on the phone about someone’s company leads to referrals far more often than a cold application.

6. Use the free government help. Register with the veterans employment representative at your local American Job Center. If you are thinking about working for yourself, book a free session at a Veterans Business Outreach Center before you spend a dollar.

7. Pay it forward. Once you land, answer the next woman’s message. That is how the network gets stronger.