Why Hire From The Military?
As a transitioning military member or a veteran, you should be supremely confident in what you bring to a civilian company. All too often, we concentrate on what we don’t know. But what we do know, the intangibles that are difficult and expensive to teach, are what separates us from our civilian counterparts. It’s much easier to teach the specifics of a job to a veteran with a solid foundation of intangible attributes than it is to teach a subject matter expert how to lead projects and people. Bottom line: Hiring from the military is an economic benefit to corporate America! Keep these 10 attributes in mind during résumé-writing and interviewing as you seek out your new civilian career!
1. LeadershipGiven responsibility for lives, budgets, expensive equipment and performance at a very young age, leadership is engrained into every facet of military life. NCOs and officers are there to lead and inspire troops; troops that work 18-hour days in harsh environments for minimum wage. Now that’s leadership! How many 25-year old civilians manage 20 people and millions of dollars worth of equipment like an Army staff sergeant does every day?
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
Veterans, all other factors equal, will promote faster than their civilian counterparts.
2. DiversityForty-five (45) percent of transitioning military members are minorities: African-American, Hispanic; Asian and other minorities. Since nearly all companies have a commitment to recruit minorities, diversity recruiting is an enormous cost to hiring managers, both in terms of time and real capital. Recruiting veterans has the ancillary benefit of providing them with a ready-made workforce that contains over 1/3 minorities; higher than the national average. And that number is growing.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
The military is over-represented in minority status and presents a deep pool of talented minority applicants.
3. Team Players
Veterans are accustomed to working in teams to accomplish goals. In the military, you rely on your “work colleague” for YOUR LIFE! A favorite quote of Navy folks is “On the strength of one link in the cable dependeth the might of the chain.” Recognizing that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, companies are investing heavily into team-building training to leverage the skills of all team members and achieve a force multiplier on human assets. The military LIVES THIS EVERY DAY. As veterans, you can go into these companies and instantly add team effectiveness to that organization.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
Higher team productivity throughout the company.
4. Performance Under Pressure
The military has the most extensive technical training facilities in the world and you, our nation’s veterans, leverage this training to the benefit of corporate America every day. You are graduates of the world’s largest technical training school system and have experience managing the most complex military technology in the world. Ninety-eight (98) percent are high school graduates, 36 percent college and 100 percent formal military training in a variety of trade and professional schools; all higher than national averages.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
Lower employee training costs.
5. Educated and Tech Savvy
In the military, poor performance or an inability to handle stress can have grave consequences. Adherence to specifications and deadlines under tight timelines is part of the normal routine for veterans. Efficient use of resources and prioritization of them is engrained into all military endeavors.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
High achievers who can handle stress.
6. Drug-Free and Healthy
Mandatory military drug-testing and physical fitness standards ensure healthy, vigorous employees with less sick down-time. Fox News refers to Navy SEALS as “Olympic athletes with rifles.” While we may not all be former Navy SEALS, veterans are generally more fit than their civilian counterparts. Furthermore, because of the zero tolerance drug policy military members adhere to, the veteran ready-made workforce shows up to work addiction-free. As veterans, we typically take this for granted. We shouldn’t.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
A workforce free from addictive behaviors and healthy enough to reduce lost work time due to injuries.
7. Security Clearances
Most military positions require an in-depth security clearance of secret or higher. Many companies, especially government contractors and agencies, require some form of security clearance. On someone who doesn’t currently possess a valid clearance, this can cost thousands of dollars and months of time. And there’s no guarantee that the person will be issued a security clearance. Even veterans with lapsed clearances provide some assurance that a new clearance check will go through.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
Money and time savings on security clearance authorization.
8. Quick Learners
We’ve all drank from the fire hose on many occasion; whether in training or while learning a new job. Switching jobs in the military happens so often, usually more than once per year. As a result, veterans have adapted to climbing a steep learning curve very quickly. Veterans expect and welcome change and can be key change agents within a company.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
Enhanced employee productivity and upward scalability.
9. Willing to Relocate
As you know, Uncle Sam picks up the tab for relocating a military transitioner back to his or her hometown. This is a SIGNIFICANT, DIRECT and TANGIBLE economic benefit for hiring managers. Furthermore and due to the transient nature of the military, veterans are accustomed to moving around. As a result, most veterans have no issue with moving and in fact, many welcome it! When compared to many civilians who are anchored to a geographical location, veterans provide hiring companies the flexibility to move where their services are needed.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
Zero relocation costs and geographically indifferent employees.
10. Active Job Seekers
Passive job seekers, found on most mass job boards, are currently EMPLOYED and hiring managers must lure them away from their current job – a costly endeavor. Transitioning military have already decided to leave their current job and are ACTIVELY seeking employment. Big difference.
Economic benefit to hiring managers:
A more targeted market of ACTIVE job seekers means less money spent recruiting qualified candidates. |
