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Justin Dixon

Veterans Add Resilience and More to Your Workforce

Veterans Add Resilience and More to Your Workforce

The unemployment rate remains low, even with warnings of a coming recession and talent acquisition is still a challenge for many companies.

Expanding your talent pool for recruiting can help. Candidates without college degrees are often just as qualified as those who obtain a degree. Seeking candidates from talent pools that prize diversity is another way to find excellent candidates.

Consider the Pool of Military Veterans

Another option is to consider the pool of military veterans. With 200,000 veterans transitioning to civilian life every year, there is an opportunity for employers. These candidates may not have a college degree, but they receive specialized training in their field. They have acquired leadership skills during their military service. They have learned discipline and how to motivate themselves and others.

Veterans bring a number of other benefits to the workforce. Having made it through basic training and completed their tour of duty, they are up to any challenge and ready to make an impact in civilian life. They are adept at dealing with ambiguity and know how to be flexible as plans change. The current climate of uncertainty demands that type of skill as we continue to move into the unknown.

Veterans who have served outside of the United States can bring a new point of view to your teams. They have experience dealing with varying cultures and ideas and are comfortable with diversity. They have also problem-solved in some of the most stressful, chaotic environments, and bring that type of disciplined thinking to their new jobs.

How to Hire Veterans

Hiring managers need the training to understand how military duties translate into private sector roles. With that knowledge, they can identify positions that are well suited to military talent and can craft job descriptions that highlight those skills. Don’t focus on what the candidate did on a daily basis, but on the growth of skills like problem-solving, managing turmoil, planning, and execution.

If attending hiring fairs is part of your strategy, attend fairs at military installations and Veterans Affairs locations to recruit military candidates. Be prepared to offer military candidates a transparent promotion path, along with the steps they will need to take to gain the next promotion. The military is very structured and paths are clear from the beginning and veterans will appreciate the transparency.

There are various agencies that are available to help businesses who want to hire vets, such as the United States Department of Defense (DOD) SkillBridge program, Hiring Our Heroes program, United Service Organizations, and many others. Most military bases also have transition assistance offices for their service members who would be happy to help. In addition, there are often financial incentives for companies that hire veterans, their spouses, and other military-affiliated candidates.

Regardless of the position, veterans bring loyalty and teamwork, along with the other skills that are part of their repertoire. Moving into the future, these skills will allow your company to stand out from others. Hiring vets is a win for everyone.

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