One of the biggest challenges facing veterans is simply finding a job.

This past Veterans Day, Americans took time to honor those who served and fought, but it’s also important to remember the difficulty these men and women face in making the transition into civilian life and the workforce.

In 2013, the rate of unemployed veterans in Michigan was 10.6 percent, making it the second highest in the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, or MVAA, is one of the many organizations working to change that. The MVAA provides assistance to members of the military in making the transition from serving to the civilian world. The resources include tips and tools on applying for jobs and a veteran-friendly employer program to recognize the efforts of companies that hire and retain veterans in their workforce.

To date, the MVAA’s program designed to recognize veteran-friendly employers has certified 37 companies. With increased commitment to supporting veteran talent in the workforce, a certified company can earn a bronze, silver or gold status.

To earn a gold status, a company had to retain at least 75 percent of the veterans hired in the past year, create a veteran support network within the internal organization, implement a veteran hiring rotational program or leadership development program and share best practices with other organizations. Of the 37 that have been certified, three employers – General Motors Co., Quicken Loans Inc. and Whirlpool Corp. – have reached Gold Level Status.

The agency is also active in reaching out to potential employers to explain the benefits of hiring veterans and sharing information about the value veterans bring to a workforce through their skills and experience.

Aside from the MVAA, other organizations are dedicated to helping Michigan veterans. Here are a few of those outlets with links for more information:

• Veterans’ Employment Services

Part of Pure Michigan Talent Connect, Veterans’ Employment Services provides assistance that is targeted specifically to the veteran population. The program is an integrated partner with Michigan Works! Agency.

• Michigan Works! Association

The Michigan Works! Association has 16 agencies that oversee local Michigan Works! Service Centers where job seekers and employers can access services. Established in 1987, the Michigan Works! Association was created to give services and support to the state’s workforce development program.

• Hire Heroes USA

With a national reputation for helping veterans find employment, Hire Heroes USA has a success rate of helping more than 60 veterans a week find employment.

• Helmets to Hardhats

A national nonprofit program, Helmets to Hardhats connects retired and transitioning active-duty military service members with training and career opportunities in the construction industry.

• Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit

With its Operation Good Jobs, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit places a focus on ending the barriers between veterans and employment. In the past year, the program has helped more than 100 veterans and family members find jobs or access veteran car services and entitled benefits.

You have a solid job description, you post it to several on-line resources, you share the posting with your network, and you’re ready for a flood of applicants. But after a month of your posting being live, you end up receiving a lot less applicants than you anticipated. What’s going on?

Recruiting can be associated with a lot of different activities, but one thing is for sure: recruiting is marketing. Think of the job you’re trying to fill as a product or service you’re trying to sell. Now think about the products and services you purchase every day. What motivates you to buy that product or service over another one? Consider your initial thoughts:

• Would you buy a product or service that had advertising with misspelled words or poor grammar?
• Do you read the ad that has 70 words or over 500 words with no pictures or graphics?
• Do you buy a product or service that reads like the winner of the annual Worst Written Service Manual contest?
• Are you an engaged buyer even with a product or service that reveals very little?

Back to your job posting. To attract the best talent, you need to have the best job posting. First, really read your job posting as if you were applying for the job. Would you apply??

• Reader: DO NOT glaze over this basic, basic, basic rule - run your job posting through spellcheck. If the online job posting system you’re using does not have a spell check option, cut and paste your posting into a MS Word document and click on the Spelling & Grammar icon near the top (under the Review tab).
• Develop a short paragraph that talks about your company or organization. Give the job seeker an opportunity to learn who you are.

We’re a family owned business with a solid team of experts seeking the next addition to our growing team. While members of our team typically work independently on a job, we all work to help each other through a technical challenge in the best interest of our customers to finish a job as quickly as possible.

Now the reader has a glimpse into how work would be like on a daily basis, but also says a lot about how you strive for excellent customer service.

• Keep your online job posting simple! For example:

We’re looking for a thoughtful, focused technician to join our team. If you’re the right one for us, you love working with your hands, finding solutions to make things work right, and take great pride in your work. You love cars and trucks, and have a few great projects you’re proud to brag about. You’re an expert at unraveling electrical mysteries and you’re never stopped by a challenge. If this sounds like you, let’s get to know you! Apply today at:

Inspire your reader to be on the job before they even click ‘apply.’ Create an experience for the reader. How can you lose? If you keep posting the same tired job posting every time, job seekers will eventually glaze over it. Try kicking your posting up a notch! The results just may surprise you.

From big cities to small towns, vibrant public spaces help revitalize communities and downtowns, making them a magnet for business investment and talent attraction. However, creating these spaces successfully requires planning, collaboration among community and business leaders, and citizen participation.

In Michigan, a unique program is working to create thriving places and a strong quality of life in communities, helping to make them a place where talent wants to live, businesses want to locate and entrepreneurs want to invest.

Public Spaces Community Places is a crowdfunding initiative that helps municipalities raise money for public space projects  -  outdoor plazas, bike trails, park enhancements or art projects -  while also allowing local residents to have a say in the projects that will transform their communities.

Through the program, communities with projects that meet the criteria can apply through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to conduct a crowdfunding campaign of up to $100,000. Projects that meet their funding goals are then matched with a grant, dollar-for-dollar, from MEDC.

A Detroit Alley Transformed

In many urban areas, city alleys are unused spaces that are often in need of repair.  But one project in Detroit is turning Midtown alleys into sustainable places that improve and increase pedestrian traffic.

Midtown Detroit Inc.’s Green Alley Project applied for a crowdfunding campaign for their project to revitalize the alley on Selden and Second Streets, which had been in a state of disrepair for years, stacked with garbage and standing water.

Through the campaign, they were able to exceed their goal of $50,000, and in turn will receive $50,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and $100,000 from Detroit-based Shinola.

The funds will allow this alley to be transformed, utilizing green infrastructure to reduce the storm water burden on sewer systems and improving visual aspects of the alley by adding flowers, brick pavers and LED lights.  Once completed, it will be a public space that promotes pedestrian activity and community connectivity.

Communities, non-profits and other business entities are invited to submit projects and apply for a crowdfunding campaign. Learn more about how to apply or find projects in your community. 

For more Michigan Community Development news and information, follow us on LinkedIn.

Public Spaces Community Places is collaboration between the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Municipal League and Patronicity.