Veteran's Employment Preference

Pursuant to Chapter 657 of the Texas Government Code, The University of Texas at Austin is proud to provide preference in employment to:

• veterans, including veterans with disabilities;
• veterans’ surviving spouses who have not remarried; and
• orphans of veterans who were killed on active duty

Individuals who qualify for veteran’s employment preference are entitled to a preference in employment with or appointment to the University over other applicants for the same positions who do not have greater qualifications.   

Who is a “veteran”?

Section 2308.251 of the Texas Government Code defines a veteran as a person who:

• has served in:
  • the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States, or the United States Public Health Service under 42 U.S.S. Section 201 et seq., as amended;
  • the Texas military forces as defined by Section 437.001 of the Texas Government Code; or
  • an auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces; and
• has been honorably discharged from the branch of the service in which the person served

How does the veteran’s employment preference impact the hiring process?

Eligible applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for a position will be shown preference in multiple aspects of the hiring process:

• Interviews
  • If the total number of applicants interviewed for a position is 6 or fewer, then at least 1 of those applicants must be a qualified individual eligible for veteran’s preference
  • If the total number of applicants interviewed for a position is more than 6, then at least 20% of the total number of those applicants must be qualified individuals eligible for veteran’s preference
• Employment Decisions
  • If two applicants are finalists for a position, and both are equally qualified for the position in every way except that one is eligible for veteran’s preference and the other is not, then the applicant eligible for veteran’s preference will be selected for hire

Does the veteran’s employment preference guarantee that I will be interviewed or hired?

No, it does not. For an eligible individual to be interviewed, the individual must meet the same required qualifications for the position as every other applicant. If the individual does not meet the required qualifications, then the individual will not be interviewed. 

For an eligible applicant to be hired, the applicant must be the best qualified applicant for the position as determined by the hiring manager. If the applicant is not the best applicant for the position, then s/he will not be hired. 

How do I apply for jobs using veteran’s employment preference?

Eligible applicants should apply for positions through the appropriate University of Texas website:

• Applying for Employment for staff positions
• Faculty Recruitment for faculty positions

Applicants will be asked questions as part of the online application process that will be used to determine their eligibility for the veteran’s hiring preference. Applicants that are determined to be eligible will have a special designator attached to their applicant profile.  

What resources are available to help me find a job, write my resume, and prepare for my interview?

There are many organizations that can help veterans and their family members find and prepare for meaningful employment. Links to many of those organizations can be found on the Texas Veterans Portal webpage.

The Veterans Job Matcher tool helps veterans find civilian careers that might be a good match for their military skills. The occupation information provided in the tool may assist veterans as they review UT Austin job openings. 

The Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop program provides a Resume Guide to assist veterans in writing or updating their resume.

Who can I contact for more information about the Veteran’s Employment Preference?

Please contact our veterans’ employment liaison, Steven Blackwell at steven.blackwell@austin.utexas.edu.