The FINANCIAL — 42 per cent of female veterans believe they weren’t offered an interview or progressed through the application process due to their military background
A third of female veterans have been asked an inappropriate question in a job interview, including whether they knew how to act and dress in a feminine way
Findings from Barclays AFTER programme demonstrate that more needs to be done to break down the barriers female veterans face at every stage of the job hunt
Female veterans face increased disadvantage compared to their male counterparts when making the move to civilian employment, a new study from Barclays can reveal.
Research from the Barclays AFTER (Armed Forces Transition, Employment & Resettlement) Programme shows that military leavers will often face ignorance and prejudice in the civilian job world, with women experiencing this to an even greater extent.
Despite the strength of veterans’ experience and skills, over a third (35 per cent) of veterans believe they haven’t been offered an interview or progressed through the application process due to their military background, rising to 42 per cent of female veterans.
Inappropriate interview questions
Three in ten military service leavers (30 per cent) have been asked inappropriate interview questions, demonstrating the degree of misunderstanding that still exists and the need for further training to educate hiring managers on not just the reality, but the value of a military career. Of those who were asked inappropriate questions
26 per cent of women have been asked if they knew how to act and dress in a feminine way
33 per cent of men have been asked if they have ever shot or killed anyone
22 per cent of women have been asked about how they felt working in a male-dominated environment
19 per cent of women have been asked if they’ve ever handled a firearm
On average, it takes the veteran population four months to find a civilian job, increasing to five months among female veterans. Breaking this down further, fewer female veterans are finding jobs within a month (21 per cent), compared to male veterans (39 per cent).
To combat this, 44 per cent of female veterans have undertaken additional training when looking for civilian roles compared to 28 per cent of men, demonstrating the additional lengths some female veterans are having to take to level the playing field.
In fact, at every stage of the job hunting process, female veterans are going above and beyond to make sure that their applications are successfully received – sending nearly double the number of CVs and attending more interviews and work placements than either their male or civilian colleagues.
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