Do you have any veterans employed at your company? If not, what are you waiting for? Veterans represent 5.6% of the total civilian labor force today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They have some amazing qualities that you will not find anywhere else. You may have to tweak your job descriptions and do a little research into military culture, but it will be well worth the time.
If you’d like to learn more about hiring a veteran, contact our HR team to help you begin the process.
If you’re interested in tips for hiring veterans, keep reading to learn the benefits of hiring a veteran, resources for finding veterans to hire, tips on writing a veteran-friendly job description and best practices to hire veterans.
Why Should Small Businesses Hire Veterans?
Adaptability
Adaptability is a person’s ability to adjust to changes in their environment. This is one skill that veterans have learned and mastered during their time in service to the country. Joe Cecin, a former Army Ranger and the CEO of Ontivity, said that veterans are taught to “adapt, improvise and overcome.” Veterans will often demonstrate immediate contributions and face challenges head on due to their exceptional adaptability skills.
Transferable Skills
Along with adaptability, veterans possess numerous skills that are beneficial to any workplace. These include (but are not limited to) leadership readiness skills, reliable work ethics, strong performance under pressure, creative problem-solving skills, self-starter ability, mission-focused approach, and great organizational skills. Veterans have the ability to recognize and transfer these skills to different contexts or in an evolving situation.
Excellent Teamwork and Diversity
Veterans not only work well in a team, they understand how important everyone’s role is for completing a job. An important aspect of teamwork is accepting and understanding cultural differences. Studies show that veterans have experience in more multicultural areas as compared to non-veteran peers.
5 Resources for Finding Veterans to Hire
1 – The Department of Labor “Hire a Veteran” Resource
The “Hire a Veteran” resource provides numerous insights on how to attract, train, recruit and hire veterans. Simple toolkits are also available to begin your hiring process.
2 – Hiring Our Heroes, a Program From The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Hiring Our Heroes connects the military community with American businesses. They offer hiring events, fellowship programs, along with education and networking.
3 – The Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a variety of resources for employers, managers, supervisors, and human resource professionals all related to veteran employment and services.
4 – Military.com’s Employer Resource Center
This resource center allows you to post a job and reach the correct veteran audience. It provides access to tools to hire and support veteran employees.
5 – Regional Veterans’ Employment Coordinator (RVEC)
This allows you to find and connect with a RVEC representative in your area.
Write Veteran-Friendly Job Descriptions
Another great tip for hiring veterans is to write a job description that will be appealing to veterans. This should start with shifting the description to focus on being competency based versus a required number of years of experience.
Common veteran strengths to include in a job description include:
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Leadership skills
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Accountability
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Organizational Skills
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Diversity and Inclusion
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Flexibility
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Technical skills
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Verbal/written communication skills
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Problem-solving skills
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Adaptability
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Loyalty
Best Practices to Hiring Veterans
More tips for hiring veterans include having a plan crafted out.
Below are 5 ways to improve your hiring plan.
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Make sure everyone from the top to the bottom is on board with your hiring program.
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Have an inclusive Employee Resource Group (ERG) for a place where veterans can collaborate in a positive way.
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Form a veteran mentorship program, which is especially helpful for new hires.
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Encourage your current veteran employees to recruit for you.
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Understand military culture and codes.
Conclusion
After taking in these tips for hiring veterans, our goal is for businesses to learn more about how to begin the process within their company. Learning how to appropriately attract, hire, and employ veterans will benefit them and the company in the long run.
If you’d like to speak to an HR representative about your business, contact us.