Midland, MI - November 10, 2008
The Dow Chemical Company recognizes that hiring proven talent with global experience can give businesses a significant edge. Dow’s Shared Services and Workforce Planning groups began working with the Department of Veteran Affairs in 2007 to find highly qualified candidates and enhance Dow’s position as an employer of choice among this high-potential talent pool. So far, Shared Services has seen a 100 percent rate of return for these recruiting efforts – all four of the offers extended to veterans have been accepted. While Dow has had this type of recruitment strategy in place for veterans seeking jobs within operational positions for years, this strategy is now most recently evolving to include professional positions.
To maintain Dow's high standards, Workforce Planning recruiters have attended military conferences to find the best candidates with the help of military firms. Working with executive placement firms like the Lucas Group has provided Shared Services with access to highly qualified candidates. Shared Services was so impressed with the candidates and the veteran recruiting process, it has engaged Orion International to extend recruiting to junior military officers, as well. These candidates have graduated from the nation’s top colleges and universities prior to completing their service obligation and are ideal for positions in leadership, sales, engineering and operations.
Dow also works with Orion International to recruit military technicians, who can effectively step into positions in the electronics, electrical, technical and mechanical fields. In addition to attending military conferences, Shared Services expects Orion International to provide a pool of candidates to come to Dow for the recruitment process.
Most recently, Dow's success with veteran recruiting helped lead to an invitation for the company to participate in a panel discussion for the Department of Veterans Affairs Employment Coordinators this past September during a three-day meeting in Arlington, Va. The discussion focused on best practices for recruiting military candidates and how the partnership can be strengthened to identify additional talent.
Dow has been utilizing this type of recruitment of veterans to fill operational and plant facilities positions for a number of years, and the strategy is evolving to now identify candidates for professional and executive positions. Recruiting veterans is a win-win scenario for Dow and the Department of Veterans Affairs for a number of reasons. First, veteran candidates are men and women who have been highly educated and trained in their respective fields and who possess the kind of work ethic, skills, life experience and maturity that characterize Dow’s performance culture. Secondly, it is important for the company to continue to seek out opportunities and explore methods to attract military-experienced and veterans with disabilities that enrich its Human Element and help drive future success.
Most recently, Dow has extended offers to four veterans to fill professional positions within its Shared Services division, all of which have accepted and relocated to company headquarters in Midland, Mich. Additionally, Shared Services is making further progress with potential hires for roles throughout the company.
One of the four individuals who recently joined the company is Lance Amy who works within Dow’s Global Logistics Purchasing. Amy relocated with his wife and infant son in September of this year from Norfolk, Va., where he had been stationed with the Navy’s Maritime Unit since 2006.
Amy explains that while he received a number of offers, the primary reason for choosing Dow was because it was apparent that the company was looking for specific individuals with specific skillsets rather than individuals to fit specific jobs. Once Dow interviewed Amy and knew he’d be a great asset to the company, it then worked on finding an appropriate position that would be a good fit not only for the company, but also for Amy.
About Dow
For Editorial Information:
Jennifer Heronema
The Dow Chemical Company
(989) 636-9142
