The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans

The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans is an easy-to-use publication that helps employers find, hire, and retain military Veterans. Free to download in PDF format and available for purchase in paperback, it offers:

• practical, reusable tools for hiring Veterans (including a hiring checklist, interview guide, onboarding framework, and more);
• relatable hiring scenarios that bust myths about Veterans in the workplace
• evidence-based learning from Challenge Factory’s research; and,
• resources compiled in one convenient place to help you become a Veteran Friendly Employer.

Hidden Talent: A Challenge Factory Podcast

The Hidden Talent Podcast showcases the stories and voices of small business owners and Veterans as they discuss their employment struggles and successes, from both sides of the interview table. With eight episodes of 10-15 minutes each, the podcast is for anyone interested in learning more about how good hiring is done in small business.

The Hidden Talent Podcast is available on all major podcast streaming services, including Apple, Audible, and Spotify.

MasterClass in Hiring: Tap into the Hidden Talent Pool of Canada’s Veterans

The MasterClass in Hiring is an online program that equips employers with a roadmap and action plan for tapping into the hidden talent pool of Canada’s Veterans. It builds on The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans, incorporating its tools and other activities, tips, and lessons designed to help employers find, hire, and retain quality hires. The MasterClass focuses on shifting organizational culture and capacity, includes career management learning, and is entirely self-directed so that employers can explore it at their own pace.

When employers complete the MasterClass, they receive a Certificate of Completion, a Veteran Ready badge and package of pre-sized social media images to use on their website and marketing materials, and a listing on our website of Veteran Ready Employers.

How Challenge Factory uses research to create practical tools

Challenge Factory has been working to demystify Canadian military Veterans as a hidden talent pool for more than ten years. Our program development and community building on this topic began in 2014-2015, when we piloted an experiential program called Leaders Helping Leaders that brought together Veterans and transitioning older workers. Both populations experience identity-based career transition challenges; we tested how inclusive learning programs could break down barriers and lead to better transition outcomes for both cohorts.

As part of this initial pilot, we conducted market research that unearthed two gaps in the Veteran transition support ecosystem. First, while significant effort, energy, and resources were allocated to supporting Veterans in their transitions, little was known or understood about employer biases concerning this population. Second, few employer-focused tools and resources existed to help small- to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) understand why they should hire military Veterans and make it easier for them to do so.

In 2017-2018, Challenge Factory received funding from national charitable organization CERIC to conduct the first ever quantitative study of Veterans’ working styles. Using this new understanding of how Veterans actually work in civilian workplaces (such as their behaviours, motivators, and driving forces), we quantified and defined specific biases that employers hold about Veterans. This led to the modification of aspects of Veteran career transition supports across the country. As part of this project, we further tested, validated, and expanded our understanding of the need for employer-focused tools and resources.

This led to our next project in 2019-2020, funded by Veterans Affairs Canada’s Veteran and Family Well-being Fund, to create and publish The Canadian Guide to Hiring Veterans, with a focus on helping SMEs. In 2021, we received additional funding from the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund to create two more Veteran hiring resources—an online MasterClass and podcast series—and conduct a national impact study to evaluate the reception and use-value of the hiring resources. All three resources are free.

Our study participants were business owners, organizational leaders, and hiring managers across Canada. They selected one of the three resources to explore and, over six months, completed four online survey questionnaires designed to solicit information about their use of the resource, general hiring practices, and perceptions of Veterans.

Explore all the research insights from our national impact study.

Explore the full research-to-practice timeline of our Veterans work.

Challenge Factory’s groundbreaking quantitative study