Employment assistance from Bridge My Return brings jobseekers, employers together

Companies large and small, across industries and across the country, are challenged to secure the talent they need within the timeframe they have. This wind of need means forward-thinking employers are looking to tap into untapped pools of talent.

A second wind comes in the form of “future of work” trends. Beyond automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, these new principles of business include managing workforce distribution, work-from-home dynamics and the up-skilling and re-skilling of employees.

Both winds favor the military jobseeker.

Bridge My Return (BMR) employment assistance is now open to military and Veteran spouses, and caregivers to help them find meaningful employment.

Current labor market: Tapping into untapped pools of talent

The underemployed Veteran, the unemployed military spouse, Veteran spouse and caregiver, and the pigeonholed transitioning service member – each represents a historically undervalued talent pool wherein employers are beginning to uncover new opportunity. The diversity of the military presents an opportune time to amplify diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Future of work trends: Workforce distribution, work-from-home, up-skilling & re-skilling

The mobile workforce experiment brought on by the pandemic has been largely successful, allowing employers to meet prospective employees where they are. Enlightened employers realize they need to view the military spouse resume differently than they have historically. Employers see mutual advantage in offering flexibility and work-from-home arrangements for the caregiver and the disabled, and they understand the Veteran who drove a truck in the Army can do a whole lot more than operate a motor vehicle.

Further, the workforce of tomorrow will need to learn new skills in order for businesses to compete and win. This requires more than just offering training programs; it requires a direct investment in people who have the right behaviors. These skills are abundant within the military community; the Veteran community is filled with eager learners who have been “trained to train.”

New marketplace: Bringing the jobseeker and talent-seeker together in a warmer way

Platforms like Bridge My Return (BMR) have been established to bring efficiency and stress reduction to the job-search/talent-search process. BMR’s goal is to present a better you… to a company who is more likely to get you. Its marketplace is designed for serious jobseekers and serious talent seekers. BMR members invest 20-30 minutes in creating a profile; employers emphasize the skills and competencies for the job more than length of time previously spent in a role. Companies like CBRE, Blackstone, American Family Insurance and Thermo Fisher Scientific come to mind.

BMR’s technology connects the two sides with a skills-to-skills matching algorithm and produces a professional resume. The technology is paired with support and a dose of TLC: mentoring support for members, training and education support for employers who see the business case for hiring military talent but need some help in becoming more military-ready. For Veterans, service members, spouses and caregivers… it’s all free. Employers pay a monthly subscription fee.

Timing: Essential to the mission

Organizations supporting military employment – across government, non-profit and private sectors – have always had “mission” on their side. But mission alone doesn’t get it done. You have to have timing on your side, too.

These winds are strong and favorable – they are warm – and they show little sign of abating.

Veterans, service members, spouses, caregivers and survivors can leverage the moment by registering and completing a BMR profile here.

Employers interested in tapping into this untapped pool of extraordinary talent can get started by here.