By Heidi Lynn Russell

When you boil down all of the hallmarks of a “military-friendly employer,” former Marine Corps Capt. Mary Kennedy Thompson says it comes down to one factor: values.

“If you were in the military, you have a high set of values, and you're somebody who wants to serve the country,” she says. “So look for companies with those values. They should actively talk about them and live them every day and should be the right cultural match to who you are.” Thompson served in the Marine Corps for eight years until 1992, before opening multiple franchises.

Companies that share your code of work and ethics also are those that will place importance on your military leadership skills. They will foster your career, Thompson says. Not only that, once you have forged a path with a values-driven company, be prepared for others with even better opportunities to pursue you, she adds.

Thompson and other experts have a couple other ways to identify companies that share officer values and support veterans.

Drill Into Companies' Online Personas

Employers that give veterans a priority will tout it on their websites and will have a strong presence on sites that promote military job candidates. Check out employers participating in the White House's Joining Forces program. These companies answered a challenge by first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to hire or train 100,000 unemployed veterans and their spouses by 2013. After meeting the goal early, the companies have committed to hiring an additional 435,000 veterans and military spouses by 2018.

Some companies have launched their own grassroots efforts. JP-Morgan Chase and 10 other companies started the 100,000 Jobs Mission in 2011. Their initial goal was to hire at least 100,000 veterans by 2020. Since then, the coalition has swelled to 121 companies, which collectively had hired 92,869 veterans by the third quarter of 2013. And Wal-Mart pledged on Memorial Day 2013 to hire any honorably discharged veteran within the first 12 months off active duty, as well as to hire 100,000 veterans over five years. The company asked 48 CEOs to join the effort and pledged $20 million through 2015 to support veteran employment and transition opportunities.

Thompson also is past president of VetFran, a program founded by the International Franchise Association (IFA) through which companies offer financial incentives, training, and mentoring to veterans. The IFA partnered with the White House's Joining Forces initiative and launched “Operation Enduring Opportunity.” The pledge is to hire, and recruit as franchise owners, 80,000 veterans and their spouses through 2014. “Since 2011, we've hired 65,000. We will meet our goal. We have brought 4,300 veterans into small business ownership,” Thompson says.

Also check out the U.S.Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes program, launched in March 2011. This program has hosted more than 610 hiring fairs in all 50 states. As of March 2013, 20,200 veterans and spouses had obtained jobs.

Scour a Company's Corporate site for Opportunities

The armed forces have many opportunities for growth and development. Look for this in a potential employer, says Russ Hovendick, president of recruiting firm Client Staffing Solutions in Sioux Falls, S.D., and author of Deployment to Employment: A guide for military veterans transitioning to civilian employment.

“Take a look at the companies that are growing rapidly and that have the long-term commitment [and] excellent developmental programs for individuals,” he says. “Veterans can plug into a system and almost be guaranteed success. If those attributes are in place and you are at the level that you command leadership and bring vision, you'll do really well.”

He also suggests looking for “under the radar” companies, the industries that might not be as appealing. “They're not 'flashy,' but man, are there opportunities there!” Hovendick says. For example, you might overlook a trucking company because you don't want to be a driver. However, “you may have tremendous value in logistical knowledge from your international experience from the logistical side and [be able to] work with importers and exporters,” he says.

Working for these types of companies also means they appreciate you more. “Your value to that company is much higher because of your leadership vision,” Hovendick adds.

That was the case for Thompson, who was recruited seven years ago by The Dwyer Group to become president of Mr. Rooter after she owned franchises for Cookies by Design. She didn't initially see how she could jump from cookies to plumbing, but her leadership experience was highly valued, and she soon discovered the Dwyer Group's values matched her own, too. Not only that, she found a surprising similarity between her former mission as a Marine and a plumber's daily mission.

“Plumbers are a lot like Marines,” says Thompson. “Their work is dirty, and it's a hard job no one else wants to do. Marines protect the safety of the nation, and do you know how important plumbing is? I have a poster that sits across my desk with a photo of Iwo Jima and the caption, 'Nothing happens without a team.' Likewise, the plumber protects the health of the nation. For me, coming to this company was like coming home.”

Network Not Only With Other Veterans But Also With University Alumni

Senior Chief Petty Officer Stephen Norred, USN (Ret), managing partner at Dallas recruiting firm Kaye Bassman International Corp., advises veterans to ask their networks directly whether certain companies are military-friendly.

On LinkedIn, send connection requests or InMail to your former or current colleagues and classmates who are working for companies that interest you, Norred says. Then search for those who have your military occupational specialty on their profiles.

“Find the first person who is your catalyst,” he says. “You also can follow a company that has 30 employees and 17 are veterans. That tells you something, too. ... A company with 300 employees and two with prior service is probably not the place for you.”

Also tap former school classmates who did not enter the military. If people “knew you when,” they'll look favorably at hiring you now, Norred says. “The average college graduate has gone on to become a hiring manager with a budget, while you were serving as an officer. They are a logical place to go.”